Daily Digest: Point of law

Good morning, and welcome to Tuesday. No need to wait any longer to turn to the Digest.

1. Ramsey County Judge John Guthmann is considering whether Gov. Mark Dayton acted within his constitutional authority when he zeroed out funding for the Minnesota House and Senate using the line item veto. During a hearing Monday the judge pressed attorneys on both sides to defend competing arguments in a case over constitutional powers. The Legislature wants Dayton's veto of House and Senate appropriations nullified on grounds he would be "obliterating" another branch of government; Dayton's attorneys said line-item veto power is clearly granted in the Minnesota Constitution and the court would be going down "not only a slippery slope, but a cliff" if he took the governor's motives into account. Late Monday the judge signed off on a agreement to keep money flowing to the Legislature until Oct. 1 as the case proceeds. (MPR News)

2. The mother of Philando Castile, a black motorist killed by a Minnesota police officer last July, has reached a nearly $3 million settlement with the city that employed the officer, avoiding a federal wrongful death lawsuit that attorneys said could have taken years to resolve. The settlement to be paid to Valerie Castile, who is the family's trustee, was announced Monday and comes less than two weeks after officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges connected to her son's death. (AP via MPR News)

3. Minnesotans were among those trying to understand the Supreme Court's decision yesterday to allow parts of President Trump's immigration order take effect. Those supporting the travel ban order said the decision largely vindicated the president in his bid to suspend the arrivals of refugees and visitors from six countries as his administration rolls out more stringent vetting. Others pointed out that the great majority of refugees and travelers from the six Muslim-majority countries coming to Minnesota do have family or other ties to the state, so few would be affected by the order set to go into effect Thursday. (Star Tribune)

4. Minnesota schools are finishing the year with some new staff on board, thanks to state grants aimed at boosting student support services. Counselors, social workers, psychologists and nurses were funded under the grants the Legislature approved last year. The money is a step toward improving Minnesota's lowest-in-the-nation spending on student support. Districts say they hope the staff can stay when the grants run out. (MPR News)

5. Congressional forecasters say the U.S. Senate bill that aims to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act would leave 22 million more people uninsured by 2026, with 15 million more uninsured by 2018 compared to the current health care law. That's only slightly fewer uninsured than a version passed by the House in May. Monday's report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office could give moderate senators concerned about health care coverage pause. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell wants a vote on the bill this week, before senators head home for the July Fourth recess. With Senate Democrats united in opposition, Republicans can afford to lose only two votes on their side and still pass the bill. (NPR)

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