A labor dispute escalates in Hibbing, the Special Olympics honor Minnesota schools, and Minnesota voters could get the chance to vote on an equal rights amendment.
Transcript
I’M XAN HOLSTON WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE.
A LABOR DISPUTE ESCALATES IN HIBBING …
AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS HONORS MINNESOTA SCHOOLS …
BUT FIRST …
MINNESOTA VOTERS COULD GET THE CHANCE TO VOTE ON AN EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT. LAWMAKERS ARE DEBATING WHETHER TO PLACE E.R.A. LEGISLATION ON THE PUBLIC BALLOT.
--ERA AT THE SENATE--
[MARY KUNESH: AT A TIME WHEN FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS ARE UNDER ATTACK, THE ERA IS OUR CHANCE TO REAFFIRM MINNESOTA'S LEADERSHIP ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND SET A POWERFUL EXAMPLE FOR OUR NATION.]
SENATOR MARY KUNESH INTRODUCED THE BILL, WHICH THE SENATE IS CURRENTLY DEBATING.
SUPPORTERS OF AN EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION SAY IT WOULD PROVIDE STRONGER ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS — AND NOTE NEARLY 30 STATES ALREADY HAVE SOME VERSION OF AN E.R.A.
OPPONENTS SAY THE BILL’S LANGUAGE COULD DO MORE THAN PROTECT RIGHTS — SAYING IT COULD ENSHRINE ABORTION ACCESS, EXPAND PROTECTIONS BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY AND CLASH WITH RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS LAW PROFESSOR TERESA COLLETT TOLD SENATORS…
[TERESA COLLETT: ONCE CONSTITUTIONALIZED, THESE ISSUES WILL NO LONGER BE RESOLVED BY OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE. THEY'LL BE DECIDED BY THE COURTS.]
AMENDMENT EFFORTS BY REPUBLICANS FAILED TO PASS — AND THE BILL MOVED ON TO A RULES COMMITTEE.
IF LAWMAKERS ADVANCE IT, MINNESOTANS COULD VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT IN NOVEMBER.
--OIG BILL STALLS--
BOTH PARTIES IN THE LEGISLATURE SAY THEY WANT TO COMBAT FRAUD BY CREATING AN OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL — THEY JUST CAN’T AGREE ON HOW.
LAST YEAR, THE SENATE PASSED A BILL TO CREATE THE OFFICE — BUT THE HOUSE NEVER VOTED ON IT.
THIS SESSION, NEGOTIATIONS STALLED QUICKLY WHEN LAWMAKERS CLASHED OVER A REWRITE.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER HARRY NISKA SAYS THE NEW DRAFT WOULD MAKE THE OFFICE MORE EXPENSIVE — AND LESS EFFECTIVE.
[HARRY NISKA: IT REMOVED ALL ENFORCEMENT POWER FROM THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.]
BUT DFL REPRESENTATIVE MATT NORRIS SAYS THE BILL WAS NEVER PROPERLY DEBATED — AND NEEDS TO BE MORE PROACTIVE.
[MATT NORRIS: WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN MORE OF A FOCUS ON PREVENTING FRAUD FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE, RATHER THAN JUST INVESTIGATING IT AFTER THE FACT.]
LAWMAKERS SAY NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE.
--LIFETOUCH & EPSTEIN--
THE COMPANY THAT TAKES AND KEEPS MILLIONS OF MINNESOTA SCHOOL PHOTOS IS FACING SCRUTINY.
ABOUT A DOZEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE DROPPED EDEN PRAIRIE-BASED LIFETOUCH — AFTER INTERNET SLEUTHS TRACED ITS OWNERSHIP CHAIN TO PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT.
APOLLO’S CO-FOUNDER LEON BLACK STEPPED DOWN IN 2021 AFTER REVELATIONS OF HIS FINANCIAL TIES TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN.
LIFETOUCH’S CEO SAYS THE COMPANY IS NOT NAMED IN THE FILES — AND THERE ARE NO ALLEGATIONS THAT THE COMPANY WAS INVOLVED IN ANY WRONGDOING.
--ROCHESTER RACIAL SLUR TRIAL--
A TRIAL IS SET FOR A ROCHESTER WOMAN ACCUSED OF DIRECTING RACIAL AND OTHER SLURS AT A YOUNG BLACK CHILD AT A PUBLIC PARK LAST YEAR.
THE CONFRONTATION WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO AND SPREAD WIDELY ONLINE.
PROSECUTORS CHARGED HER WITH THREE COUNTS OF MISDEMEANOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
THE CASE IS SET TO GO BEFORE A JURY IN MID-APRIL.
--POLICE TECHNOLOGY IN ROCHESTER--
ALSO IN ROCHESTER — POLICE ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN AS THEY EXPAND THEIR USE OF DRONES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY. THEY’RE PLANNING A PUBLIC MEETING TO EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS.
OFFICIALS SAY TOOLS LIKE DRONES CAN HELP LOCATE MISSING PEOPLE, DOCUMENT CRASH SCENES AND GIVE FIRST RESPONDERS REAL-TIME INFORMATION BEFORE THEY ARRIVE.
A POLICE SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE MEETING WILL WALK PEOPLE THROUGH THE NEW PROGRAMS.
[AMANDA GRAYSON: GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE CLARITY AND SEE WHAT KIND OF CONCERNS THEY HAVE THAT MAYBE WE HAVEN’T PROACTIVELY ADDRESSED.]
SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY’S OVERSIGHT AND ITS POTENTIAL TO VIOLATE INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY.
THE DISCUSSION COMES AFTER THE DEPARTMENT EXPANDED ITS DRONE PROGRAM WITH HELP FROM A HALF-MILLION-DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE MAYO CLINIC.
THE TOWN HALL IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 3.
--HIBBING UNION UPDATE--
A CLERICAL WORKERS UNION IN THE HIBBING SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS FILED ITS INTENT TO STRIKE.
AFSCME LOCAL 480 SAYS IT WANTS THE BOARD TO HONOR A LABOR CONTRACT THE PREVIOUS BOARD APPROVED — INCLUDING WAGE INCREASES. IT FILED A LETTER OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD LAST WEEK.
THE NEW BOARD DISPUTES THE AGREEMENT — AND ARGUES IT WASN’T FINALIZED PROPERLY AND ISN’T BINDING.
UNION MEMBERS ARE NOW IN A REQUIRED 10-DAY COOLING-OFF PERIOD BEFORE THE STRIKE CAN BEGIN.
--CLOQUET SCHOOLS--
AND FINALLY … FIVE MINNESOTA SCHOOLS ACHIEVED THE TOP HONOR OF BECOMING A “SPECIAL OLYMPICS NATIONAL BANNER UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOL.”
THE WINNERS ARE CLOQUET, ROOSEVELT, ROCHESTER MAYO AND OSSEO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS — AND FAIRMONT JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA SAYS THEY ARE THE “GOLD STANDARD” FOR SCHOOLS THAT INCLUDE ALL STUDENTS.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.