| | The Daily Digest for September 26, 2019 | | Posted at 6:20 a.m. by Mike Mulcahy |
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Good morning, and happy Thursday. Here's the Digest. 1. Walz wants to adopt California rules for clean cars. Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday announced new action aimed at reducing tailpipe emissions in the state, which he says could benefit public health while also addressing climate change. Walz said Minnesota could become the first state in the Midwest to adopt California's standards for low- and zero-emission vehicles, which 13 other states have already adopted. Under the “clean car” standards, auto manufacturers are required to offer low-emission vehicles for sale, including a variety of electric or hybrid cars, or some gas-powered vehicles that are designed to use less fuel, such as an SUV with a smaller engine. "What this will basically do is have those manufacturers putting more opportunities in front of Minnesotans,” Walz said. Only about a third of these clean car options are available to Minnesotans today, he said. The new standards, which are expected to take between 18 and 20 months to implement, would boost public health and bring down overall emissions because many customers would choose more efficient options, Walz said. Minnesota car dealers say they're concerned about the rule.“Our dealers support efforts to promote cleaner vehicles. Following the lead of the state with the worst air quality in the county is not the way to go,” Scott Lambert, president of the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association, said in a written statement. Lambert said Minnesota’s No. 1-selling vehicle is the Chevy Silverado, in contrast with California, where it’s the Honda Civic. He said adopting the standards will likely limit consumer choice by removing trucks, minivans and SUVs off showroom floors. MPR News
2. Democratic governors cautious on impeachment. Democratic governors in Midwestern states that are central to President Donald Trump's reelection strategy are reacting cautiously to impeachment proceedings beginning in Congress.
House Democrats' impeachment probe focuses on Trump's phone call to Ukraine's president. A rough transcript released Wednesday shows Trump repeatedly urged the Ukrainian leader to "look into" Democratic rival Joe Biden. While some Democratic House members in the upper Midwest states were outspoken in calling for Trump's impeachment, governors were more cautious. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former congressman, called details of Trump's phone call "deeply troubling," but said impeachment may not be the way to go. "It may not be politically good to do because I think at this point I, like many Minnesotans, am so sick and tired of the dysfunction in D.C.," Walz told reporters. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said he hadn't decided on whether he supports Democrats' opening of the impeachment inquiry, but he looked forward to seeing what comes out of the investigation. "We ought to know, we voters, we citizens of the United States ought to know," he said in an interview. "I look forward to the process." Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers did not respond to questions about the impeachment probe Wednesday. But on Tuesday, before Democrats launched it, Evers tried to distance himself from the political turmoil in the nation's capital. "I don't make any decisions on that," Evers said of impeachment. "I'm focused on Wisconsin. Clearly, I follow it in the news, but that's for the people that are in Washington, D.C., and their constituents here in Wisconsin to figure out." Associated Press
3. Marijuana political parties try to get it together. Minnesota’s two new major political parties are trying to get their pro-cannabis message ready for the 2020 campaign. But the parties don't agree on some key strategies, and even some allies think they have a lot more work to do to get organized and recruit candidates. A key issue is how a legal marijuana system would work. Representatives of the Grassroots Legalize Cannabis Party delivered petitions this month to Gov. Tim Walz, top legislative leaders and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea. The documents detail their demand to legalize cannabis and allow people to grow it without a license. Chris Wright, the party’s chairman, said the state constitution is clear that no one needs a license to sell products from a farm or garden, and that his party won’t support any legalization measure unless it restores the freedom to grow, which was undone by legislation in 1935. Neither of the DFL-backed legalization bills introduced last session pass that test, and Wright said his party will target legislators who don’t agree. “We want to run against those candidates who’ve proposed legalization, actually. We want them to vote no on any legislation that requires a license,” Wright said. Oliver Steinberg, a longtime legalization advocate with connections to both parties, would like to see them now merge into one and build a stronger organization. Steinberg is not satisfied with the pace of change. “I don’t see a systematic and well-organized transition or maturing of the organizations,” he said. “Both of these parties have been more of an idea than an organization.” MPR News
4.Time to get that Real ID. Minnesotans have one year left to get a Real ID-compliant driver’s license before federal enforcement begins at airports.
Adults will need the security-enhanced, Real ID license or other acceptable documents by Oct. 1, 2020 to board domestic flights. State and federal officials highlighted the coming deadline during a news conference at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Wednesday. Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said only about 10 percent of Minnesotans have Real IDs. “We’re going to make sure that Minnesotans know what they need to do in order to get that Real ID, because we want all Minnesotans to have the required identification to board an airplane next year,” he said. Minnesota was well behind other states in embracing the federal Real ID law, which was enacted in 2005. State lawmakers didn’t pass a compliance plan until 2017. MPR News
5. Corrections commissioner weighs parole for four murderers. A man convicted of murdering a Minneapolis police officer nearly 40 years ago may be granted parole on Thursday. Isaac Brown shot and killed Minneapolis police officer Richard Miller in 1981. The decision of whether to parole Brown is in the hands of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell, a former longtime police officer. Schnell said he's aware that some police officers want Brown to stay in prison. "I've lost people — friends of mine — in the line of duty, so I have a sensitivity to that,” said Schnell. “I feel also the sense that I have a responsibility and an obligation to follow the law, both as a police officer and in this role.” Current and former members of the Minneapolis Police Department haven’t forgotten Miller’s murder. Retired MPD officer Mike Quinn was on duty the day Miller was killed and participated in a department-wide manhunt for Brown. “This is just a cold-blooded murder and I don’t think he deserves parole,” said Quinn. Another man under review is David Brom, 47. In 1988, Brom murdered four members of his family with an axe. However, Brom was given consecutive murder convictions, meaning he’ll be a senior citizen before he’s eligible for parole. Schnell said in Brom’s case, it is possible that he could receive a parole on the first life sentence. But instead of getting out, he’d begin serving the next penalty. MPR News
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