Daily Digest: Insurance and the environment

Good morning. It's Thursday already, and time to take a look at the Digest.

1. Minnesota lawmakers have adopted a plan to try to stabilize the state’s individual health insurance market, but it’s unclear whether Gov. Mark Dayton will sign it. The measure, called “reinsurance,” would spend $542 million in state money over two years to try to lower premiums in the individual market. That covers roughly 4 percent of Minnesotans who have neither employer-sponsored insurance nor a government health plan such as Medicare or Medical Assistance. If implemented, the $271 million per year would pay for some high-cost claims borne by the state’s HMOs. (Pioneer Press)

2. Republicans in the Legislature are trying to reshape environmental protection in Minnesota, voting to make permitting cheaper for industries and cities by lightening regulations. While trimming budgets at state environmental agencies, the Republican-led House and Senate have also packed bills with far-reaching policy changes that environmental advocates say would curtail state government’s ability to protect air, water and land. Republican lawmakers say the changes are what their constituents want. Some others are alarmed at the breadth of proposed changes. (Star Tribune)

3. State Senate Republicans released more details of their tax cut plan Wednesday. They are proposing a reduction in the lowest state income tax bracket, from its current rate of 5.35 percent to 5 percent by tax year 2018. The cut would cost $393 million for the next two-year budget cycle, and $402 million for the following biennium. The Senate bill, which totals $900 million in tax cuts, also reduces the income tax on Social Security and provides property tax breaks for businesses and farmers. (MPR News)

4. National Republicans are hoping to flip the southern Minnesota congressional seat left open by U.S. Rep. Tim Walz’s upcoming campaign for governor, aiming to win back a Republican-leaning area that DFLers have held for more than a decade. Republicans have reason to feel emboldened. Walz own winning margin last year was less than a percentage point, and President Trump won the district by almost 15 points over Democrat Hillary Clinton. (Star Tribune)

5. The Minnesota Senate on Wednesday voted to bar internet service providers from selling their users’ personal data without express written consent. The move was a reaction to a Tuesday vote in Congress to lift a ban on that practice imposed in 2016 by the Federal Communication Commission. Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, offered the amendment to the Senate’s economic development budget bill, saying it was urgently needed to protect Minnesotans’ privacy after the congressional vote. The House version of the bill had a similar internet privacy provision added Tuesday. (Pioneer Press)

Political Coverage Powered by You

Your gift today creates a more connected Minnesota. MPR News is your trusted resource for election coverage, reporting and breaking news. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.