Put down the phone and drive. That’s now the law in Minnesota. The Legislature passed and Gov. Tim Walz signed the bipartisan hands-free bill that bans the use of handheld cell phones. The measure aims to reduce distracted-driving crashes. The bill requires drivers to be hands-free, but allows use of voice-activated command calls and other functions such as GPS navigation
Ban e-cigarettes in public places, raise tobacco sales age
There’s smoke in the air at the state Capitol this spring as the Legislature grinds toward a May 20 adjournment. Two measures that would protect our clean indoor air and health are up for debate. The Legislature should pass and Governor Walz should sign these actions. The House overwhelming passed HF349 that expands the definition of smoking to ensure Minnesota’s
Gun safety skeptics weren’t entirely right
A year has passed. A year ago, we were focused on demonstrations and rallies supporting gun control safety legislation following the killing of 17 people at a Florida high school. Skeptics doubted the public support would result in laws such as universal background checks, bans on assault-style weapons or high capacity magazines. These measures are widely supported, for example, more
Finish the job: bring Northstar to St. Cloud
Question: When is a subsidy not a subsidy? Answer: When the money is used to support public transit, such as Northstar Commuter Rail, Republicans in the state Legislature call the money a subsidy. When it’s used to build highways, the money is an investment. Ten years after the first trains rolled, there’s a serious effort to extend Northstar Commuter to
Voters asked for results instead of deadlock; will legislators deliver this time?
There’s a new look at the Capitol. Tim Walz replaced fellow Democrat Mark Dayton in the governor’s office, while Democrats won control of the House of Representatives. Thirty-nine new members, including 35 DFLers, entered the 134-member House. Over in the Senate, Republicans hold a 35-32 advantage. In addition to how to spend the state’s money and balance the budget, the
During extreme cold, more chilling news for Minnesotans
In the midst of the coldest weather in 25 years, Minnesotans heard more chilling news on Jan. 29 from the country’s top spies. Buried in the national intelligence chiefs’ 42-page assessments of worldwide threats were several paragraphs that demand urgent attention. The report says Russia and China have the ability to cripple gas and electric supplies now. Utilities and government
Sartell-St. Stephen: Contact your elected officials before it’s too late
With a new year comes a new team of elected leaders and a list of issues for them to tackle. Some of those issues linger from year to year, unsolved because politicians couldn’t agree, the solutions cost too much or because there’s not enough pressure from voters to find an answer. One way individual voters can act is to contact
St. Joseph: Contact your elected officials before it’s too late
With a new year comes a new team of elected leaders and a list of issues for them to tackle. Some of those issues linger from year to year, unsolved because politicians couldn’t agree, the solutions cost too much or because there’s not enough pressure from voters to find an answer. One way individual voters can act is to contact