Good morning. It’s been a long road, but you’re almost to the unofficial open to summer vibes.
It’s the session wrap-up version of Politics Friday today. For many, the highlight will be the extended voices of the Capitol montage. Matt Alvarez and Ellie Roth have done a great job of providing an audio window into the place all year. For others, the tune-in draw will be interviews with Gov. Tim Walz and state Sen. Julia Coleman. For me, it’s a chance to have my weekly on-air chat with Dana Ferguson and Clay Masters, who have been pulling long hours lately to stay on top of session developments. Anyway, it starts at noon and can be heard on the air, over the stream or through the podcast later.
The session was a letdown for communities, colleges and other entities that spent many months escorting legislators around to show off potential building projects. The bonding bill, as Capitol watchers now know, didn’t pass. That means it’s back to the drawing board for some or for others a financial workaround to keep essential work moving ahead. Dana Ferguson reports on how some are exploring more-costly local bonds or rate hikes to fund things such as water towers or treatment facilities. For now, there is no indication a special session will get called.
The EMS fix is in, at least partially. MPR’s Ellie Roth says the signing of a bill to send a total of $30 million to rural emergency medical services is being viewed as a shot in the arm. But providers had hoped it would be even bigger. The legislation will provide $24 million in short-term emergency aid for EMS in greater Minnesota. The other $6 million will go towards creating a “Sprint Medic” pilot program to test the efficiency of roving paramedics in rural Minnesota. The bill also establishes an Office of Emergency Medical Services that will oversee Minnesota’s EMS network. And it includes policy changes that will help address workforce shortages by expanding the staff who can work in rural ambulances. But the funding is only about a quarter of what EMS providers say they need to prevent ambulance services from closing or cutting back.
Foster advocates are keeping close tabs on legislation to shore up a program designed for former foster children receiving state financial aid for college. The Legislature passed a standalone higher education omnibus bill, but that same bill was also included in a massive 1,400-page tax bill. MPR’s Nicole Ki reports advocates for the Fostering Independence Grant program are urging Walz to sign the standalone education policy bill so that funding for the program doesn’t get tied up in any potential legal challenges surrounding the larger budget program. The bills both include $5 million for the program. 645 students are paying for college through it.
The Minneapolis city council took a victory lap yesterday over a bill that sets statewide standards of pay and protections for rideshare drivers. The bill, awaiting the signature of Gov. Tim Walz, trumps what had been an even more ambitious city ordinance that was set to take hold in July. The Minneapolis city council rescinded its rideshare ordinance. MPR’s Sarah Thamer reports that council leadership, the president of the Minnesota Uber and Lyft Drivers Association and lead author of the state bill gathered at Minneapolis city hall to celebrate the passage by the Legislature over the weekend. The new statewide law would increase driver pay, but at a lower rate than previously approved by some Minneapolis council members. Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai says while the bill sets a lower minimum wage, it's still a victory for drivers. “Ultimately, what matters is we were all able to work together and we were able to get the best possible policy in the country. And that's something to be celebrated.” The state bill guarantees minimum pay for drivers of $1.28 a mile and $.31 per minute. The new rates go into effect in December. There were some testy exchanges yesterday between city officials who supported the now-muted ordinance and those who said it was a reckless act that put rideshare at risk.
The endorsement of Royce White by Republicans for U.S. Senate has been followed by a string of stories about past comments or controversies. KSTP's Tom Hauser sat down with White to ask about civil judgments against him and posts he's made on social media. White told Hauser he doesn't think voters will hold them against him. “I think the country’s $36 trillion in debt. I think credit card debt is as high as it’s ever been. I think the average American citizen understands being in debt,” White said.
One of the first big crackdowns on AI-generated fake robocalls has resulted in a hefty fine. The Federal Communications Commission issued a $6 million fine against a political consultant who made robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden’s voice ahead of New Hampshire’s primary. You might recall that it was a vendor previously employed by Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips’ presidential campaign; Phillips denounced the scheme and strenuously said his campaign was not involved. The consultant, Steve Kramer, was hit with the fine and a separate $2 million fine was levied against the telecom company used to transmit the disinformation call. Kramer has also been indicted on criminal charges.
And on that AI note, here’s a reminder to maybe refrain from using it in your campaign photos. A few Facebook and X users discovered that a candidate running for the Tennessee Senate looked a little different in real life.The presumably AI-generated images portray candidate Charlie Cooper as leaner, younger and with more hair than the other photos he’s posted recently. Just because you can… doesn’t mean you should.
Your Capitol View writers are going to take a few days to catch their breath. So the next edition will arrive in your inboxes on Wednesday morning. Have a safe holiday, everyone! | 