Politics & Policy

Immigrant driver's license bill passes MN Senate, goes to MN House

By Lisa Peterson-de la Cueva, TC Daily Planet

A crowd of supporters hug state senators who voted yes on SF271 only moments before.

The Minnesota State Capitol filled with loud cheers and chants of "Sí, se pudo," ("Yes we could") Saturday night, after the Senate passed a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. The next step: the bill would need to pass the full House of Representatives before the May 20 adjournment to have a chance of becoming law.  Governor Dayton has promised he will meet with the bill's supporters if it is passed by the legislature. 

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Love in retrospect

By Lisa Gray, Restless Gray Girl

What a crazy day I had yesterday! I went to St. Paul, MN to watch history being made as Minnesota's state senate voted to legalize gay marriage, an event that will happen today when Governor Mark Dayton signs it into law.

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Restless Gray Girl

Free at last: Same-sex marriage celebrations rock St. Paul, not to mention church and state

By Hlee Lee and Nick Coleman, The Uptake

An estimated 7,000 people partied down in St. Paul Tuesday, coming to the Capitol lawn and braving record 98-degree heat to celebrate the dawn of a new era: Same-sex marriages are now enshrined in law — a law signed under the blazing sun by Gov. Mark Dayton after a week’s worth of impassioned debates in the Legislature, years of tumultuous politics and decades of effort by a GLBT community that wouldn’t take no for an answer.

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OPINION | Minnesota legalizes same-sex marriage, but my same-sex marriage was real before the law passed

By Stephani Maari Booker, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Instead of attending to the novel I was supposed to be working on, I spent the afternoon in front of the TV watching the debate over and vote on the same-sex marriage bill in the State Senate on TPT’s Minnesota Channel. I listened to the passionate and heartfelt speeches given by DFL Senators Scott Dibble, Jeff Hayden, Patricia Torres Ray and others in favor of passing the bill for legalizing same-sex marriage, and — to be honest — I muted the TV sound when senators opposing the bill had the floor.

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The day after reform: What happens now that same-sex marriage is legal in Minnesota?

By David Schultz, Schultz's Take

With Governor Dayton’s signature on Tuesday at 5 PM on Tuesday May 14, same-sex marriage will be signed into law. The question though is what’s next, and what will change as a result of legalization of same-sex marriage? Here is what we know based on Minnesota law and what has happened in the other 11 states that have already legalized same-sex marriage.

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Schultz's Take

Same-sex marriage and the beginning and end of Minnesota politics: A tale of four circles

By David Schultz, Schultz's Take

The best thing that could happen to the Republican Party of Minnesota (RPM) if not the national Republican Party, is for same-sex marriage to be legalized. Its legalization would remove from the agenda one that the Republicans are losing on, and one that is continuing to alienate them from younger millennial voters and moderates. Legalization of same-sex marriage would permit Republicans to move away from social issues and concentrate on their core economic and limited government message.

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Schultz's Take

Governor Dayton signs same-sex marriage law

By Staff, The Uptake

Today at 5 p.m., Gov. Mark Dayton signs into law the bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Minnesota. A large crowd is expected to watch Dayton sign the historic marriage rights legislation on the south steps of the Capitol in St. Paul. Barring court challenge, the law will take effect on August 1.

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"A very loving and supporting family, the Fritz's": Patti Fritz and lesbian niece Liz on no vote

By Sally Jo Sorensen, Bluestem Prairie

It's become quite popular for opponents of the freedom to marry to introduce their fear of the B-word into the discussion, while in some progressive circles, discussing opponents' perceived bigotry overshadowed any celebration of this week's tremendous victory in the bipartisan vote to legalize same-sex marriage.

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Bluestem Prairie

Photo/video blog of the same-sex marriage victory at the Capitol

By Staff, The Uptake

The UpTake has a team (Jason Barnett, Nick Coleman, Allison Herrera, Hlee Lee, Analiese Miller and Mike McIntee) in place to cover today’s historic Senate vote on same-sex marriage. Check-in throughout the proceedings to get a look at what’s happening.

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Minnesota Senate approves same-sex marriage; Capitol throng celebrates historic victory

By Staff, The Uptake

Live UpTake Report, From the Capitol:

4:18 p.m. May 13, 2013: The Senate has passed the same-sex marriage bill on a vote of 37-30.

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