MN Progressive Project: 32 bills MN Republicans worked on instead of the budget
Source: MN Progressive Project By: The Big E Tue May 24, 2011 at 17:00:00 PM CDT
The 2011 legislative session was supposed to be strictly about the budget. Republicans did nearly anything but work on the budget. As the last day of the session ground to a halt and GOP legislators sat idly by, I reflected upon what they tried to pass this session instead of the budget.
Obviously, the marriage discrimination constitutional amendment comes to mind. So does the Voter ID constitutional amendment as well as the new stadium for billionaire Vikings owner Zygi Wilf.But that barely scratches the surface and much of it was totally insane:
Repeal the smoking ban
Eliminate background checks for gun purchases
Designate English as the official language
Bike tax
Remove the ban on increasing carbon dioxide emissions by utilities
Ban state funding of abortions
Eliminate 8 state agencies including Depts of Employment & Econ Dev, Health, Human Rights, Labor & Industry, Revenue, MNDOT, Vet Affairs and the Office of Mgmt & Budget
Further weaken a woman’s right to choose with yet another abortion bill
Repeal the Next Generation Energy Act which was signed by Pawlenty
Prevent welfare recipients from having more than $20 cash in their pockets