Democrats are taking over the Minnesota Legislature, but leaders are cool to any move to change the state constitution. That has something to do with voters' rejecting two constitutional amendments earlier this month — one to ban gay marriage and one to require photo ID to vote.
Several groups are asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to remove a constitutional amendment from the November ballot that would require voters to present photo IDs.
Voters will decide in November whether the Minnesota Constitution should require a photo ID to vote. The Senate gave the measure final approval Wednesday on a 35-29 vote. The House has approved it shortly after midnight.
We're just in the first week of the state legislative session and already Republican lawmakers are floating the idea of putting another constitutional amendment on the November ballot. The amendment would require voters to produce a photo ID.
A group that supports amending Minnesota's Constitution to prohibit gay marriage has filed paperwork needed to begin raising campaign donations. Minnesota for Marriage filed late last week with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
It's now up to voters to decide whether to ban gay marriage in Minnesota. A proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between only a man and a woman was approved Saturday night in the Minnesota House.
A gay marriage ban has cleared a House panel as Republican lawmakers move the proposal closer to next year's ballot. The potential constitutional amendment passed the House Civil Law Committee on Monday on a 10-7 party-line vote after winning approval from a Senate panel last week.
State House Republicans are proposing that Minnesota voters decide whether a photo ID should be necessary to cast a ballot. Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer introduced a bill Wednesday calling for an amendment to the state constitution requiring a photo ID for voting.