| Is a U-turn ahead on the state’s approach to electric vehicles? Two years removed from trying to incentivize the purchase of EVs, state lawmakers are considering bumping up costs for those car owners. The Minnesota tax rebates for purchases are long gone. Clay Masters reports that EV buyers might see annual registration surcharges spike as the consideration of lost gas tax revenue comes into view. Backers of clean cars say it’s the wrong direction to go, but it’s also hitting as the federal government reels back on moves it was making to build out charging capacity.
Legislative leaders acknowledged they’re pushing the boundaries to close out the legislative session on time as they entered another round of negotiations. They met again Monday and said their weekend talks yielded progress but not a final budget framework. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said they expected to announce a deal soon but didn’t commit to ending the session on time since several budget bills are still moving through the chambers. “I don't know what we can accomplish, but what I don't want to do is say to Minnesotans, you know, ‘We're going to push through and get this done,’ and make the people who work here and the members who serve here do something that is really impossible physically,” she said. House Speaker Lisa Demuth and DFL Caucus Leader Melissa Hortman said they were still hopeful that they could get the job done in the next week, ahead of the May 19 adjournment date. “I am always optimistic about the timeline,” Demuth said. “We have a week left, and that's what we're going to get in and work on right now.” Hortman noted budget bills are likely to be lighter on policy than in years past and that could speed up to process of getting them through the revisor’s office.
April was an above-expectations month for Minnesota tax collections. That’s according to a monthly collections memo from state finance officials, who reported that the state took in 11.4 percent — or $391 million — more than expected last month. Most was from higher-than-forecast individual income tax payments. In fact, two other key revenue streams were down. The sales tax and corporate tax payments were both off by a combined $82 million. The monthly reports are not used in state budget calculations because lawmakers watch the twice-yearly forecasts for comprehensive data on tax, spending and overall economic patterns.
As state lawmakers work to finish this year’s work, last year’s session finale is in court . A Ramsey County judge is set to hear arguments later today over a new Minnesota gun law that bans binary triggers. Matt Sepic reports that it involves that megabill — 1,400-plus pages — passed in a raucous final stretch. One item in the bill bans guns that can fire a round both on the pull of the trigger and on its release, making it shoot faster. In a lawsuit, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says the ban is illegal because it's tucked into a "Frankenstein's monster of an omnibus tax bill" in violation of a state constitutional clause that prohibits multi-subject bills. The lawsuit's three plaintiffs say they lawfully purchased binary triggers prior to Jan. 1 when the law took effect. The Minnesota Attorney General's Office is urging Judge Leonardo Castro to dismiss the case. The state argues that the gun owners filed their suit too late.
Gov. Tim Walz is not privy to details about President Donald Trump’s consideration of a pardon for Derek Chauvin, but Minnesota’s governor says that would only change his prison address. Walz told reporters Monday that even with a pardon, the former Minneapolis police officer would still have to complete most of his 22.5-year sentence in state prison before walking free. In recent months, several conservative pundits have called for Trump to pardon Chauvin. He was convicted in state court in the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin was also sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for violating Floyd’s civil rights. Chauvin is currently in a low-security prison in Texas. “If Donald Trump exercises his constitutional right to do so, whether I agree — and I strongly disagree with him — if he issues that pardon, we will simply transfer Derek Chauvin to serve out his 22-and-a-half years in state prison in Minnesota,” Walz said.
The evergreen issue at the Capitol — sports betting — could get different treatment this year. The Senate tax bill proposes to create a study about what sports betting legalization would mean for Minnesota. The Senate Rules and Administration Committee reviewed the broader bill Monday and re-referred it to the Senate Taxes Committee. Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, is a supporter of the effort to legalize sports betting and said it could help inform future legislation on the issue. Lawmakers, along with representatives from the industry, tribal nations, race tracks and organizations that treat problem gambling, would be part of the discussion. And they’d be expected to compile a report by 2026 with their findings. There are inter-party disagreements in both parties about legalizing sports betting. Even a study is no sure thing in the final run to a session conclusion.
Congressional candidate filing is picking up. There is another Democrat running now in the 7th Congressional District, a once DFL-held seat now held by GOP Rep. Michelle Fischbach with ease since 2020. Teacher Jared Adams, a former helicopter crew chief in the U.S. Army, has filed Federal Election Commission paperwork to run in the sprawling western Minnesota district. He’s run for office before, coming up short in a bid for state Senate in 2022. He joins Erik Osberg, who began his campaign in March. Fischbach will be vying for her fourth term in 2026. | 
