State Legislature

ST. PAUL  (AP) -- Legislation ordering a 15 percent cut in Minnesota government work force costs is getting an airing in a state House committee.

The bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Keith Downey of Edina would give the state until 2015 to achieve the cost reduction.

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Minnesota's 2011 legislative session will be dominated by talk about the state budget deficit. Republicans who run the House and Senate are raising the curtain on that discussion.

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For a day at least, Minnesota's Capitol shifts west to Minneapolis. The state Legislature planned to gather Wednesday at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute for a seminar focused on bipartisanship and the state budget. It's the fifth annual "One Minnesota" event. The retreats are typically held soon after the Legislature opens its yearly session.

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A proposal to clear the way for new nuclear power plants in Minnesota has passed its first committee in the Republican-controlled Legislature. The House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the bill on a 10-6 vote on Tuesday.

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A proposal to clear the way for new nuclear power plants in Minnesota gets its first hearing in the Republican-controlled Legislature on Tuesday. The bill from Rep. Joyce Peppin of Rogers would repeal a 1994 moratorium on construction of new nuclear power plants.

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Republicans who lead the Minnesota Senate are calling for $200 million in business tax cuts and quicker approval of business permits. The first Senate bill introduced Monday would cut the state corporate income tax in half over six years and reduce the business property tax to its 2009 level.

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Top GOP lawmakers are revealing their plans to boost Minnesota's job market, their top priority this year. Senate and House Republicans are slated to unveil their proposals in separate news conferences on Monday.

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Representative Steve Gottwalt says Governor Dayton's plan to raise taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans will hurt small business owners. Meanwhile, Representative Banaian says he's lukewarm to the idea of putting together a bonding bill.

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A lone legislative panel meets Thursday to discuss education policy as the Legislature's short first week wraps up. The House Education Reform Committee has the sole hearing scheduled, mainly to kick off its work for the session that started Tuesday.

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Three area lawmakers will return to St. Paul on Tuesday. Steve Gottwalt and Larry Hosch return to the State House and Michelle Fischbach is in the Senate.

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