Don Davis
Primary tabs
Don Davis has been the Forum Communications Minnesota Capitol Bureau chief since 2001, covering state government and politics for two dozen newspapers in the state. Don also blogs at Capital Chatter on Areavoices.
Contact Email
History
- Member for
- 5 years 6 months
Author Content
ST. PAUL -- State leaders agree they want to provide financial aid to communities affected by summer storms, but disagree about whether meetings producing legislation should be open or closed. The Dayton administration and a few legislators soon are to begin developing plans to help Minnesota communities recover. The governor's office says those meetings will be closed to the public. "Legislation is not typically prepared in public meetings," Dayton Press Secretary Katharine Tinucci said.
ST. PAUL -- Republicans say Democratic Secretary of State Mark Ritchie may be breaking state campaign laws by speaking out against a proposed constitutional amendment to be on Minnesotans' ballots Nov. 6. Sen. Mike Parry said he is considering taking Ritchie to court or issuing a legislative subpoena requiring the secretary to testify. The senator even said Ritchie could be recalled. Parry, a Waseca Republican and candidate for U.S.
ST. PAUL -- Another lawsuit could arise over a proposed constitutional amendment in Minnesota. Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, said at mid-day that he will consider taking Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to court, claiming the Democrat is making false comments about a proposed constitutional amendment to require voters to show photographic identification.
ST. PAUL -- Secretary of State Mark Ritchie faces a second lawsuit over his rewriting a proposed constitutional amendment title. Paperwork to be filed Thursday by Republican legislators and others supporting an amendment requiring Minnesotans to show photographic identification before voting asks that the title legislators approved be restored, replacing one Ritchie penned. Voters will be asked to decide the issue in the Nov.
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Supreme Court justices are considering whether a question about voter photo identification on the Nov. 6 ballot is misleading. More fundamentally, they are asking themselves if they even have the authority to deal with the issue. The question is whether a proposed amendment requiring Minnesotans to present photographic identification before voting is accurately summarized on the ballot.
ST. PAUL -- The question on everyone's mind during a news conference about a special disaster aid legislative session was whether Republican leaders could keep their members from bringing up other issues. For instance, Sen. Sean Nienow, R-Cambridge, has mentioned the possibility of changing state law to remove Secretary of State Mark Ritchie's power to write constitutional amendment titles. The issue angers Republicans because Ritchie, a Democrat, rewrote titles for two GOP-backed constitutional amendment proposals that will be on the Nov.
ST. PAUL -- State leaders are shooting for a special legislative session in late August, but they must wait until federal officials decide what aid they will provide after last month's northeastern Minnesota flooding. Gov.
ST. PAUL -- More Minnesota communities will be disappointed than happy as state officials look to divide $47.5 million for public works projects. The Department of Employment and Economic Development received 90 requests worth $288.4 million -- more than six times the amount of money legislators gave for projects. The next job for the state is to make sure projects qualify for the money.
ST. PAUL -- Ninety applicants want $288 million for public works projects across Minnesota, state officials announced this afternoon, but just $47.5 million is available. "We were impressed by the volume and quality of the projects submitted for capital project grants," said Commissioner Mark Phillips of the Department of Employment and Economic Development. "In the next several weeks, we will evaluate the applications closely and make a decision on which projects are selected.
ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota Supreme Court is being asked to mediate battles over words in a pair of constitutional amendment proposals voters will decide Nov. 6. The latest squabble to land in the high court came Monday when Republicans sued Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie for changing the title of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages. The court will hear the case July 31. Hours after marriage amendment filed their court challenge, Ritchie rewrote the title of the second amendment going in front of voters.