Minnesota Independent

Minnesota Capitol. Photo: Paul Weimer, Flickr

Senate Republicans seek repeal of minors’ consent for health care

By Andy Birkey | 03.28.11 | 7:48 am

Senate Republicans have included a provision in a health and human services omnibus bill that would repeal Minnesota’s minors’ consent laws. Those laws, first enacted in 1971, allow Minnesotans under the age of 18 to access mental and physical health care, as well as substance use care. The bill would strip those laws from the books and only allow a minor to seek those services in the case of incest. The Minnesota Department of Health, the Mayo Clinic, the American Academy of Pediatrics and teen pregnancy prevention groups all testified in opposition.

GOP leadership offers bill banning state funding for abortion

By Andy Birkey | 01.24.11 | 8:18 am

Members of the Republican leadership in the Minnesota Senate have introduced legislation to ban state funding for abortions, just weeks after saying that creating jobs and fixing the budget deficit would be the party’s top priorities. The bill was offered on the eve of Minnesota Citizens Concerned For Life’s (MCCL) March for Life at the State Capitol grounds.

SD42 Republicans change language on Arizona immigration poll

By Paul Schmelzer | 04.27.10 | 10:01 am

While no legislators listed on the GOP’s Senate District 42 website responded to the Minnesota Independent’s inquiries about the party’s poll about Arizona’s controversial immigration law, the poll’s language has quietly been modified. Yesterday’s possible answers — to…

Republicans push for Minnesota sovereignty

By Andy Birkey | 04.22.10 | 12:12 pm

Senate Republicans introduced a constitutional amendment Wednesday that would make Minnesota the first state to require a two-thirds majority vote in the legislature to approve federal laws affecting the state. “Minnesotans enjoy inherent, natural, God-given rights,” the bill states, and “Citizens of Minnesota are sovereign individuals, subject to Minnesota law and immune from any federal laws that exceed the federal government’s enumerated constitutional powers.”

GOP’s Hann drops out of governor race

By Andy Birkey | 02.16.10 | 3:44 pm

Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, announced Tuesday that he’s bowing out of the governor’s race due to low support among activists and will campaign to keep his seat in the Minnesota Senate.

Only one GOP gubernatorial candidate believes global warming is real

By Paul Demko | 09.16.09 | 5:39 pm

No Republican contenders in the 2010 gubernatorial contest — except environmental activist Leslie Davis — believe in global warming, according to a report from Minnesota Public Radio. Perhaps most strident is state Sen. Mike Jungbauer (East Bethel), who told…

GOP’s Hann, Anderson announce campaigns for governor

By Paul Schmelzer | 07.16.09 | 1:11 pm

One state Republican has moved from “maybe” to the “definitely” column: State Sen. David Hann of Eden Prairie officially announced his candidacy for governor Thursday. The second-term senator is likely to have plenty of competition: so far,…

Who’s in for 2010: GOPers eyeing the governor’s mansion

By Paul Demko | 06.22.09 | 3:47 pm

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s announcement earlier this month that he will not seek a third term has unleashed a political gold rush among Republican politicians in the state. Minnesota’s current political landscape includes an eye-popping 18 declared and possible gubernatorial contenders.

Bakk officially enters the fray

By Paul Demko | 06.08.09 | 10:22 am

Democrat Tom Bakk is running for governor. The state senator from Virginia made it official yesterday. Bakk originally set up an exploratory committee and began raising money roughly a year…

Pawlenty will not seek third term, but stays coy about national political plans

By Paul Demko | 06.02.09 | 4:45 pm

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s decision not to seek a third term is widely viewed as an indication that he plans to seriously test the waters for a presidential bid in 2012. But at a press conference this afternoon he insisted that he has no future political plans.