Senate

Democrat Al Franken has defeated Republican challenger Mike McFadden to earn a second term in the U.S. Senate.

Minnesota senators have voted for a stringent set of electronic cigarette standards that would make their use unacceptable in any place regular tobacco is disallowed.

A Minnesota Senate committee will resume discussing a bill that would legalize medical marijuana after the Legislature returns from its Easter/Passover break.

The Minnesota Senate has passed a bill aimed at helping prevent bullying in schools.

The Vikings Stadium bill only needs to pass a floor vote in the senate and get signed by the Governor for it to become a reality. The Minnesota House voted 71-60 early Thursday morning in favor of a revised stadium bill. The revised bill was constructed in a conference committee and requires the Vikings to pay $50 Million more while the state pays $50 Million less. The Vikings will now pay a total of $477 Million while the state and city of Minneapolis will combine to pay $498 Million. The Vikings agreed to the increase in payment.

The Senate Taxes Committee has narrowly sent the $1 billion Vikings stadium bill to the floor of the Minnesota Senate. It was the toughest test yet for the proposed stadium subsidy. It's now primed for floor votes in the House and Senate.

The Minnesota Senate has approved a bill that would let the University of Minnesota sell beer to the general public at University of Minnesota football games. The Senate approved the change Wednesday as part of a larger liquor policy bill that passed.

The Minnesota Senate has passed a tax bill that Republicans say will help close a $5 billion budget shortfall without state tax increases and make the state a better place to do business. The GOP tax bill passed Tuesday on a party-line vote of 37-26 after hours of debate on taxes and the state's business climate.

Minnesota's Senate majority leader says she doesn't want to strictly require that opening prayers in the Senate chamber be nondenominational. The content of Senate prayers became an issue this week after several Jewish senators said they were uncomfortable during a prayer by a Baptist pastor from St. Cloud who made multiple references to Jesus and Christianity.

The Minnesota Senate has voted to increase the legal consequences for people who harm or kill police and other public safety dogs. The Senate passed the bill unanimously on Thursday.