The Daily Digest (Budgets planned, synthetic drug bill canned; on gun show checks, one more stand?)
A busy day at the Capitol as lawmakers rush to meet a Friday deadline to get non-budget bills out of committee.
Language requiring background checks for private sales at gun shows is anticipated as part of a revamped gun bill expected to get a hearing tonight.
State
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
DFL's plan to cut health, human services spending comes as surprise (MPR News)
"DFLers propose a spending cut in health and human services even as they seek $2 billion in new taxes to erase the budget deficit and spend more on schools and other state services. Some say the poor can't handle more spending reductions."
Senate DFL budget focus: education and property taxes (MPR News)
"Senate Democrats released their framework for erasing a projected $627 million deficit while also increasing overall spending by $1.4 billion. It did not show how to come up with the taxes needed to pay for higher spending and property tax relief."
Background checks at gun shows expected in revamped Minn. House bill (MPR News)
"House DFLers are crafting a bill to expand background checks to private sales at gun shows that will also include provisions that are popular with Republicans and more conservative Democrats. The bill is scheduled for a hearing tonight."
Minnesota DFLers push for higher taxes for transportation (Star Tribune)
"Legislators want big bumps in gas and sales taxes to expand and improve light-rail, bus and other routes."
Dayton signs health exchange law, creating 'MNSURE' (MPR News)
"The law creates a new marketplace for health insurance, "MNSURE," Starting in October, more than a million Minnesotans, including 300,000 uninsured, are expected to shop -- and sign up for health plans using MNSURE."
Dayton not ready to impose statewide ban on silica sand mining (Rochester Post-Bulletin)
"Gov. Dayton said he does not support a statewide moratorium on silica sand mining at this time but does back tougher regulations. He also praised St. Charles officials for their recent decision not to move ahead with a silica-sand project."
Synthetic drugs bill done after missing key legislative deadline (Duluth News Tribune)
"Duluth Rep. Erik Simonson said he's looking ahead to the next legislative session for his bill designed to combat the sale of synthetic drugs and look-alike products in Minnesota. The bill failed to clear a key committee hurdle."
Dayton takes his tax and spending proposals on the road (Star Tribune)
"He told a friendly, feisty Duluth crowd that raising taxes on high earners and smokers makes sense. But other DFLers have other ideas. Duluth was the first stop on Dayton's four-city tour."
Trout Clout? Bill Angles For Money For National HQ (Associated Press)
"Minnesota lawmakers are being asked to float $4.5 million in state bonds to establish a permanent home for the nonprofit National Trout Center in the southeastern city of Preston."
Nation
Obama: Chemical weapons attack in Syria would be "game changer" (CBS News)
Senate plan could double some worker visas (Washington Post)
Neurosurgeon's speeches have conservatives dreaming of 2016 (New York Times)
In Israel, Obama Vows to Prevent Nuclear Iran (ABC News)
Three weeks in, sequester impacts growing (CBS News)
National study finds changed minds, demographics in same-sex marriage shift (Associated Press)