Daily Digest: Senate passes health bill
Good morning and happy Friday to you. It's a cold day in Minnesota, maybe the coldest day of the winter. If it's any consolation, next Friday we'll have 13 more minutes of daylight in the Twin Cities than we'll have today. On with the Digest:
1. The Minnesota Senate passed a Republican-sponsored bill Thursday that provides relief for people facing big health insurance premium increases and makes structural changes to the individual insurance market. Senate Democrats unsuccessfully tried to substitute Gov. Mark Dayton's rebate plan, which they say would provide quicker relief at a lower cost. The House has yet to debate another plan, which means there will likely have to be more negotiations before a bill reaches Dayton's desk. (MPR News)
2. The Minnesota Senate passed legislation Thursday to align the state tax code to recent federal changes. The House passed the bill unanimously last week. The move would provide $21 million in tax relief to an estimated 220,000 Minnesotans. Sen. Roger Chamberlain, R-Lino Lakes, the chair of the Senate tax committee, said the bill is the first phase of tax cuts planned this session. (MPR News)
3. Some Republican state lawmakers appear to be attempting an end run around the Public Utilities Commission to get a new power plant built in Becker. Xcel Energy wants to build a natural gas burning plant to replace its massive coal plant there, but the PUC wants more time to study the cost and possible alternatives before giving the go ahead. Area lawmakers concerned about the local economy introduced bills this week that would green light a power plant without approval from the commission. (Star Tribune)
4. The Justice Department inspector general’s office will investigate F.B.I. Director James Comey for his decision to inform Congress about a new review in the Hillary Clinton email investigation days before the election last November. The inspector general’s office said the investigation was prompted by complaints from members of Congress and the public about actions that appeared to be politically motivated by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department. (New York Times)
5. Retired Gen. James Mattis is poised to become defense secretary in the Trump Administration. He sailed through a hearing Thursday with a vote of 24-3 in favor of his confirmation from the Senate Armed Services Committee. A waiver he needs because he retired from the Marines so recently also looks cleared to pass. In his testimony to the committee Mattis broke with Trump on a few key issues, expressing support for NATO and saying he would support the nuclear arms deal with Iran. (Politico)
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