Minneapolis’ delegation to the State Capitol had a busy first week back at work, introducing bills that covered everything from the governor’s bonding proposal to repair infrastructure to striking the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage off the November ballot. Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis) was perhaps the most prolific, introducing or becoming a sponsor of eight bills. In addition to joining in the effort to rescind a 20 percent pay cut given to Minnesotans who care for disabled family members, Hornstein also joined in a measure that would create same-sex civil unions …

With the Minnesota State Legislature set to resume Jan. 24, Patch spoke with Sen. Ken Kelash (D-Richfield/Minneapolis) about the upcoming session, his priorities and the Vikings stadium debate. Patch: Let’s lead off with the topic on everyone’s minds—state funding for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium. What’s your take, and what will you be pushing for when this comes before the legislature? Sen. Ken Kelash: I’ve been saying this for a while—the Minnesota Vikings are a statewide or, at least, a regional asset, and I think the marching orders they got from former Governor (Tim) Pawlenty to go …

Editor's note: Capitol Review is a weekly look at what your state legislators are doing at the Minnesota Capitol—how they're voting, the bills they're writing and the issues they're getting behind. Come back to Southwest Minneapolis Patch every Monday for a new Capitol Review. The Minnesota House of Representatives passed five omnibus finance bills last week, which left Republican leaders optimistic while DFLers worried about the deep cuts. The omnibus finance bills passed were for education, taxes, judiciary and public safety, higher education and agriculture. In addition, the Minnesota …

The budget battle continued at the capitol last week as House Minority Leader Paul Thissen called for Republican's to submit their "all-cuts" budget proposal. While Thissen and the minority are anxiously awaiting the Republican budget proposal, Thissen said the all-cuts budget approach won't work. "It’s the very approach that made our great state perform below average over the last decade. Case and point—between 2002 and 2010, Minnesota ranked 15th from the bottom of states in job growth," he said in a press release. "That is unacceptable." In addition, with a $5 billion gap to close, the …

Background Checks at Gun Shows SF465State Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) introduced a bill requiring background checks at gun shows. It was also proposed last year but found little traction. The intent is to close the loophole that allows guns to be purchased without a background check at a gun show. "The public is with us, of course, by a factor of 80 percent but the NRA, which holds tremendous political influence, is deadset against it," Dibble said. "We're sailing upstream to say the least." HIV Education SF466Dibble also introduced SF466 requiring the commissioner of health to …

House Minority Paul Thissen threw his support behind a Republican-proposed unemployment extension, which is funded by federal dollars. The bill passed the state House Thursday by a vote of 126-3 and was recommended to pass in the Senate by the Finance Committee. The legislation allows adult children laid off by businesses owned by their parents to collect unemployment benefits. It also changes the threshold for the state's participation in the federal goverment's unemployment program by allowing the state to measure the last three years of state unemployment, rather than the last two years. …

Gov. Mark Dayton's proposed budget and a spreadsheet outlining health and human services changes are posted as PDFs (you can click on the black boxes above and they'll pop up). The video is provided by The Uptake as part of a new regular collaboration with Minnesota Patch. Weekly Legislative Update Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis) introduced a bill that would grant $2 million to design and improve drainage around I-35W. It would also impact some communities in Southwest and Northeast Minneapolis that use the interstate's drainage tunnels. Rep. Jeff Hayden is a co-signer in the House. …

Sen. Scott Dibble has served in the state Senate since 2002, before that he served one term in the state House. He represents District 60. The Minneapolis resident has championed sustainable transportation, as well as introduced high-profile legislation against bullying in schools. Southwest Minneapolis Patch talked to Dibble last week about a possible Vikings stadium, his anti-bullying bills and his priorities for the session. Southwest Minneapolis Patch: You’ve played a very vocal role in the Senate so far this year, how has your approach changed as you moved into the minority?Sen. Scott …

State Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL- District 60) was one of only 14 senators to vote against lifting a moratorium on new nuclear plants in Minnesota, which passed the Senate in the first month of session.  Supporters said it was time to lift the ban, which has been in place since 1994, in order to provide what Sen. Amy Koch (R- District 19) described as “clean, affordable and reliable” energy options in the state. Dibble told Southwest Minneapolis Patch he voted against lifting the ban partly because Minnesota isn’t currently in need of more energy and won’t be for another 15 years or so. “It’s …

Southwest Minneapolis Patch: This time around you’re assistant minority leader, how did that come about and how will your role change because of that?State Rep. Jeff Hayden: It was a competitive process. We have whips that are the more internal group that handles our strategy. The minority leader [position] is a great opportunity for us to organize our community, go out to each of the areas by congressional district and talk to the people who live there to get to get our message as Democrats out. One of the things is that our counterparts on the right have been less than honest with the …

In the opening weeks of the legislative session, South Minneapolis Rep. Jeff Hayden  (DFL-District 61B) introduced a bill that, if passed, would guarantee universal healthcare for all Minnesotans. The bill would "ensure all Minnesotans receive quality health care, regardless of their income" and "cover all neccesary care." It would also "allow patients to choose their own providers" and guarantee "adequate and timely payments to providers."  Hayden said one of the bill's goals is to change the way health care is paid for and administered, by making it more of a public service like 911. "When …

Southwest Minneapolis Patch: What are your thoughts about the general direction this session is going to go? Rep. Frank Hornstein: There's no question that the $6.2 billion budget deficit overshadows almost anything. I’m looking for honesty in the majority’s budget, I think it’s going to be extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible to balance $6.2 billion without cuts to education, basic health care, nursing homes and hospitals— basic safety net programs that literally keep people alive. Gov. [Mark] Dayton made it clear, if we can get a budget that doesn’t create significant problems, that…

Southwest Minneapolis Patch: You recently became House minority leader. Where are we headed this session? House Minority Leader Paul Thissen: What I think is going to be really important for our Democratic caucus during this session is focusing on getting the economy going as much as we can and getting a balanced budget. But being the minority, our job is to be constructive but also to hold the Republican majority accountable for their decisions. The other thing that’s really important to me and our caucus is that we don’t just spend time inside the Capitol, but also get out of the Capitol …

On the first day of the 2011 legislative session, state Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, expressed concern about Republican appointees to the positions of Senate President and Secretary of the Senate.  Dibble said in a statement that the Secretary of Senate candidate, Cal Ludeman—a former Republican legislator who served as Gov. Tim Pawlenty's Commissioner of Human Services—has a "proven track-record of putting party ideology over public interest." Dibble said Senate secretary is a non-partisan "role that requires complete impartiality, and the utmost trust of members and staff on both …