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Minnesota

Eliminating Health Disparities, Achieving Equity

Adam Thompson on May 12, 2008 - 10:17am
In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked the US health care system 37th in the world despite spending more than any other country.  In 2007, according to the US Census Bureau, the US ranked 42nd in life expectancy. If you are a person of color, a low-wage worker, non-English speaking, or live in a low-income community, the picture is much worse.  For instance, the life expectancy for African-Americans is 73.3 years, five years shorter than it is for whites.  For African-American men, it is 69.8 years, just above averages in Iran and Syria, but below Nicaragua and Morocco.

Statewide Video Franchising Legislation: Bad Bills in Tennessee & Louisiana, and an Innovative Approach in Minnesota

PSN on May 1, 2008 - 8:31am
Legislatorsin both Tennessee and Louisiana have heavily promoted statewide videofranchising legislation this session.  Just this past week the Tennessee House approved HB 1421, the "Competitive Cable and Video Services Act," while Louisiana legislators have introduced multiple statewide franchising bills, with SB 807 having the most momentum.  The common thread between each Louisiana bill is that they are all bad for consumers.  

Tough Wage Enforcement Law Approved in Iowa Senate; Anti-Immigrant Measures Rejected

Nathan Newman on April 17, 2008 - 9:10am
The Iowa Senate on Tuesday approved SF 2416, a bill to sharply increase fines on employers violating Iowa state wage laws, crack down on the practice of misclassifying employees as "independent contractors" to evade those laws, and protect workers reporting violations from retaliation.  

Voter Registration: Steps States Can Take to Help Voters Register and Keep Them Registered

Christian Smith-Socaris on April 14, 2008 - 9:35am

Maintaining accurate voter rolls and ensuring that all eligible voters who register to vote actually make it onto voting rolls are two of the most important functions of election administration.  If an eligible voter cannot vote because his name doesn't appear on the voter roll used in an election, the problem will not be addressed by the federal guarantee of a provisional ballot.  Such a ballot cannot register a person to vote, it can only preserve a ballot in the case the voter rolls at the precinct are mistaken or the

Focus on Prescription Drug Reform

Adam Thompson on March 24, 2008 - 10:25am

$287 billion -- that is how much the U.S. spent on pharmaceuticals in 2007, representing a significant driver of health care costs.  While spending on hospital and physician care surpass spending on prescriptions, drugs still account for 14% of all health care expenditures. Combine this with polls that show 70% of Americans believe the drug industry puts profits ahead of people, and it's no wonder that in 2008, at least 540 bills and resolutions are being considered by states across the country to reduce prescription drug prices, ensure the quality of medications covered by public and private health plans, and reduce the undue influence of pharmaceutical industry marketing - which itself tops out at $30 billion each year.

States Criminalizing Immigrant Workers through State "Identity Theft" Legislation

PSN on February 28, 2008 - 9:22am
Right-wing interests have been mounting a political assault on university professors they do not like, led by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), which is promoting so-called "Intellectual Diversity" (ID) Legislation in various states across the country. The concept was pioneered by right-wing activist David Horowitz (see this profile site for more on Horowitz).  

States Promoting Contraception to Reduce Unwanted Pregnancies and Abortion Rates

PSN on October 15, 2007 - 9:46am
Laws restricting abortions do not reduce their occurrence, contraception does.

The Minnesota Transit Programs That Weren't

PSN on August 9, 2007 - 7:52am

 

As we detailed in a LegAlert last Friday, the Minnesota bridge collapse tragedy highlights the more general failure of states to invest in infrastructure maintenance.  Most state legislatures have failed to muster the political will to vote for the revenues needed to maintain the transit infrastructure across the country.

Minnesota Legislative Roundup

PSN on June 4, 2007 - 7:23am
Conversely, Minnesota showed how a governor in the pocket of monied interests can undermine a bold, progressive vision by state legislative leaders.

Minnesota Showdown Over Tax Fairness

Nathan Newman on May 17, 2007 - 8:25am
With a stroke of his veto pen, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty blocked one of the most progressive tax plans in the nation: tax cuts for 90% of the state's homeowners to be paid for by an income tax increase on the wealthiest 28,000 taxpayers in the state.