The Minnesota Senate on Monday approved Senate File 856 which will create the Office of the Inspector General to combat fraud in the State of Minnesota. During Monday’s Senate Floor Session, bill author Heather Gustafson (D-Vadnais Heights) spoke about her bill, which she says will help solve Minnesota’s fraud issue. Senator Mike Kreun (R-Blaine) said…
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After hours of debate on the senate floor, the Minnesota Senate passed an Omnibus Firearms Bill that would ban the sale of assault-type weapons and high capacity magazines, among other items including funding for school safety. During the debate, bill author Senator Zaynab Mohamed (DFL-Minneapolis) highlighted everything that’s included in the bill. The bill faced…
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A local farmer recently had the opportunity to testify in front of the Minnesota Senate Committee on Agriculture on behalf of wheat across the state of Minnesota. During his testimony, Borup Farmer and President of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers Austen Germolus spoke about the different issues wheat growers across the state are facing.…
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The 2026 Minnesota Legislative Session is less than a month away, and like the past few years it’s expected to be a very interesting year in St Paul. Minnesota Senator Steve Green (R-Fosston) expects that it will be “one of those years” with a lot of unknowns heading into the session. As for priorities, Green…
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The Red River Watershed Management Board held a legislative open house as a part of their monthly meeting on Tuesday, and a number of our area state legislators were in attendance, including Minnesota Senator Rob Kupec. (DFL-Moorhead) In a conversation with R&J News’s Kevin Kochmann, Kupec spoke more about his takeaways from the visit. Minnesota…
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HALSTAD, MN—The Minnesota Senate Capital Investment Committee visited Halstad Wednesday afternoon to learn about a project that would improve water quality in the region. The West Central Regional Water District covers 31-hundred square miles of Norman, Polk and Clay Counties…and includes the cities of Climax, Halstad, Hendrum, Perley, Nielsville, Beltrami, Georgetown, Borup and Felton. Lucas…
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Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson of East Grand Forks spoke with R&J News about two Senate seats that have suddenly opened. The first opening came Monday when DFL Senator Nicole Mitchell resigned after a jury in Detroit Lakes found her guilty of breaking into her stepmother’s home. Then later on Monday, came news that…
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The 2025 Legislative Session ended a couple months back, and we’re already starting to see some of its impacts. One of the impacts we’re seeing is the bonding bill, as some area organizations are receiving funding. Senator Jordan Rasmussen (R-Fergus Falls) gives his overview of the session, and more specifically the bonding bill. While all…
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The Minnesota Legislature met on Monday in a special session to put an end to the 2025 Legislative Session. During a press conference on Monday Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson addressed the session, and made it clear that the Senate GOP Caucus did not agree with the state’s budget bill. Leader Johnson highlighted some examples…
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Last week, it was announced that Senate and House leaders in the Minnesota Legislature reached an agreement on the framework for a state budget bill, but since then talks seem to have broken down. During a press conference on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy voiced her frustration with the lack of progress being made…
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