State Legislature

The Minnesota Senate's top leader is pushing to undo a state ban on new nuclear power plants. Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch presents a bill Tuesday to undo a 17-year-old moratorium on construction of nuclear energy facilities. The hearing is before a Senate energy and utilities panel.

Republicans who lead the Minnesota House insist they won't raise taxes to fix the state budget. But they're looking for ways to more aggressively enforce the current tax code to bring in more money.

Republican lawmakers are proposing new restrictions on the use of electronic benefit cards for welfare recipients. The bill from Sen. Doug Magnus and Rep. Kurt Daudt would prohibit withdrawing cash or buying tobacco, alcohol or lottery tickets with the cards. It would also ban their use outside Minnesota and require users to show photo ID.

Some Minnesotans on MinnesotaCare could get vouchers for private health insurance, if a bill authored by State Representative Steve Gottwalt of St. Cloud gets passed. The Health Minnesota Contribution Program cleared it's first committee yesterday (Wednesday).

A proposal to speed up environmental reviews and permitting for businesses gets its first legislative hearing on Thursday. The bill from Rep. Dan Fabian, a Republican from Roseau, is aimed at improving the state's business climate by streamlining regulations.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.