Daily Digest: Lawsuit over lawmaker pay
Good morning, and happy Tuesday. Here's the Digest.
1. The post-session funding feud between DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican-controlled Minnesota Legislature has spawned its first lawsuit. But in this case, the plaintiffs are not challenging the constitutionality of Dayton’s line-item vetoes of the House and Senate budgets. They’re instead trying to ensure that legislators continue to receive paychecks, and at the higher salary recently prescribed by an independent council. Attorney Erick Kaardal filed a petition Monday in Ramsey County District Court on behalf of a watchdog group that calls itself the Association for Government Accountability. Kaardal said the group is asking the court to order Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans to pay legislators at the higher salaries, which are now mandated by the state constitution. (MPR News)
2. Gov. Dayton added Minnesota to the alliance of states committed to reducing carbon emissions despite President Donald Trump’s decision to leave the 2015 Paris climate accord. Dayton is one of 12 governors so far in the United States Climate Alliance, whose members commit to reduce carbon emissions significantly by 2025. The alliance was formed after Trump announced he would pull the U.S. out of the international climate change agreement. “President Trump’s withdrawal will cause serious damage to our environment and our economy,” Dayton said in a statement. “Nevertheless, Minnesota and other states will show the world what we can achieve by working together to conserve energy, to use cleaner and renewable energy, and to leave a livable planet to our children and grandchildren.” (Pioneer Press)
3. A new report from state labor officials shows about 15 percent of hourly employees in Minnesota make the minimum wage of $9.50 an hour or less. The Department of Labor and Industry report shows there are about 1.6 million hourly workers in Minnesota and 31 percent work in restaurants, bars and other eating and drinking places. Thirty-eight percent of those workers get tips, overtime of commissions. The analysis also shows 46 percent of minimum wage workers are older than 24 and that women are more likely than men to be paid the minimum wage. (AP via MPR News)
4. Former state Sen. Vicki Jensen, DFL-Owatonna, announced Monday that she’s running for Congress in Minnesota’s 1st District. Jensen is the first Democrat to enter the race for the seat being vacated by incumbent DFL U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, who is a 2018 candidate for governor. She said she decided to run because she sees too much uncertainty and dysfunction in Washington. (MPR News)
5. DFL Sen. Al Franken appears to be finding his book tour more difficult than he expected. Franken will no longer be appearing on Friday’s episode of “Real Time With Bill Maher,” after backlash to Maher’s use of a racial slur on last week’s show. A spokesperson for Franken confirmed the decision in a statement: “Sen. Franken believes that what Bill Maher said was inappropriate and offensive, which is why he made the decision not to appear on the next episode of ‘Real Time.’ He was glad to see Bill, who the Senator considers to be a good friend, apologize and express sincere regret for his comment.” (Star Tribune)
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