Fleet Farm gets punished for straw gun sales, Google expands into southern Minnesota, and an attempt at gun control legislation at the Capitol fails.
Transcript
WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE, I’M XAN HOLSTON.
FLEET FARM IS PUNISHED FOR STRAW GUN SALES …
AND WHY GOOGLE IS EXPANDING INTO SOUTHERN MINNESOTA …
BUT FIRST … GOVERNOR WALZ AND DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS’ FIRST ATTEMPT AT GUN CONTROL SINCE THE ANNUNCIATION SCHOOL SHOOTING HAS ALREADY FAILED.
--GUNS PREVIEW--
[TIM WALZ: THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MINNESOTA THE SAFEST STATE AROUND GUN VIOLENCE, WHILE DOING NOTHING TO IMPINGE ON YOUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS.]
GOVERNOR WALZ STARTED THE DAY QUITE OPTIMISTIC — TALKING ABOUT PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE BANNED MILITARY-STYLE ASSAULT RIFLES AND HIGH-CAPACITY MAGAZINES.
AN EMOTIONAL DAY OF TESTIMONY FOLLOWED, WITH A SURVIVOR OF THE SCHOOL SHOOTING GIVING A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT OF THAT TRAUMATIC DAY LAST FALL.
ALL OF THE INITIAL GUN-CONTROL LEGISLATION FAILED TO MAKE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE YESTERDAY — WITH TIE VOTES SPLIT ALONG PARTY LINES.
BUT GOVERNOR WALZ HAS SAID HE’S COMMITTED TO FINDING SOME TYPE OF BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON GUN CONTROL THIS SESSION.
--FLEET FARM SETTLEMENT--
MINNESOTA’S ATTORNEY GENERAL REACHED A ONE-MILLION-DOLLAR SETTLEMENT WITH RETAILER FLEET FARM — AFTER ACCUSING THE COMPANY OF SELLING GUNS TO STRAW BUYERS.
A STRAW BUYER IS SOMEONE WHO BUYS A GUN ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE — OFTEN SOMEONE WHO CAN’T BUY ONE ON THEIR OWN.
UNDER THE DEAL, FLEET FARM MUST TIGHTEN ITS FIREARM-SALES POLICIES — INCLUDING BETTER EMPLOYEE TRAINING, NEW SOFTWARE TO FLAG SUSPICIOUS PURCHASES AND STRONGER DISCIPLINE FOR STAFF WHO FAIL TO ABIDE BY STATE GUN LAWS.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS THE AGREEMENT IS MEANT TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY — AND WARN OTHER GUN RETAILERS THAT THEY CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
--OIG UPDATE--
LAWMAKERS MADE LITTLE PROGRESS IN THE DEBATE OVER ESTABLISHING A STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE FRAUD.
A COMMITTEE APPROVED JUST TWO OF NINE AMENDMENTS — ONE CHANGING THE START DATE AND ANOTHER REQUIRING STATE AGENCIES TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH INVESTIGATORS.
DESPITE THE SETBACKS, BILL AUTHOR REPRESENTATIVE MATT NORRIS SAYS…
[REPRESENTATIVE MATT NORRIS: BILLS GET BETTER OVER TIME, AND I’M WILLING TO WORK WITH EVERYONE WHO’S INTERESTED IN ACHIEVING THAT GOAL.]
REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JIM NASH SAYS HE WANTS THE BILL TO REACH THE OTHER COMMITTEES BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT.
[REPRESENTATIVE JIM NASH: LET THEM DO THE SAME LEVEL OF WORK THAT WE HAD HERE TODAY. OR, WE CAN HOLD IT IN COMMITTEE HERE, KEEP IT HOSTAGE.]
--GOOGLE DATA CENTER--
GOOGLE PLANS TO BUILD ITS FIRST MINNESOTA DATA CENTER IN PINE ISLAND — A PROJECT LOCAL LEADERS SAY COULD BRING JOBS, TAX REVENUE AND MAJOR NEW INVESTMENT.
OFFICIALS SAY THE COMPANY WOULD HELP FUND LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND CREATE A LONG-TERM FUND FOR SCHOOLS AND WORKFORCE TRAINING.
THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES A NEW POWER DEAL WITH XCEL ENERGY — WHICH SAYS IT WOULD ADD SIGNIFICANT NEW WIND, SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE TO THE GRID.
OPPONENTS SAY IT WILL HURT THE ENVIRONMENT, CREATE NOISE POLLUTION AND STRAIN THE LOCAL POWER GRID.
THE MINNESOTA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION STILL NEEDS TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT.
--VACCINE BILL--
LAWMAKERS FROM ROCHESTER ARE PUSHING BILLS TO TIGHTEN VACCINE EXEMPTIONS FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN.
ONE WOULD REMOVE NON-MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS FOR THE MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLA VACCINE — REQUIRING A DOCTOR’S APPROVAL FOR MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS.
LAWMAKERS SAY TIGHTENING EXEMPTIONS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF FALLING VACCINATION RATES AND RECENT MEASLES OUTBREAKS ACROSS THE STATE.
A SEPARATE PROPOSAL WOULD REQUIRE PARENTS SEEKING EXEMPTIONS TO FIRST SPEAK WITH A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND RECEIVE EDUCATION ABOUT VACCINES.
--PRAYER CAMP FOLLOW-UP--
THE FOUR FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED DAKOTA TRIBES IN MINNESOTA SAY THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE PRAYER CAMP SET UP AT MNI OWE SNI — ALSO KNOWN AS COLDWATER SPRING — AT FORT SNELLING.
A LETTER SIGNED BY THE LEADERS OF THE UPPER SIOUX, LOWER SIOUX, PRAIRIE ISLAND AND SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITIES SAYS A GROUP NOW CAMPED AT THE SITE DOES NOT REPRESENT THEIR GOVERNMENTS — AND DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO ASSERT CULTURAL OR POLITICAL STATUS ON THEIR BEHALF.
TRIBAL OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO PROTECT THE SPRING AND PRESERVE ACCESS FOR DAKOTA PEOPLE.
--CATCH-AND-RELEASE SEASON--
BASS FISHING WILL SOON BE POSSIBLE YEAR-ROUND IN MINNESOTA.
THE DNR IS ADDING A NEW CATCH-AND-RELEASE SEASON DURING MONTHS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY CLOSED — WHILE KEEPING EXISTING HARVEST SEASONS IN PLACE.
IT TAKES EFFECT MARCH 1.
--ICEHOUSE REMOVAL--
AND FINALLY … BASS FISHERS MAY HAVE TIME ON THEIR SIDE — BUT ICE ANGLERS ARE ON THE CLOCK.
THE DNR SAYS FISH HOUSES MUST COME OFF LAKES IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE BY MARCH 2 — AND IN THE NORTHERN PART BY MARCH 16.
OWNERS WHO DON’T REMOVE THEIR HOUSES RISK FINES — OR LOSING THEM ALTOGETHER.
FOR NORTH STAR STORIES, I’M XAN HOLSTON.