MEDICAL MARIJUANA, SMOKING BAN ON LAWMAKERS' AGENDA

Closer, But So Far Away

A medical marijuana bill authored by Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red
Wing, passed its first Senate committee earlier this week.

But that doesn't mean it's fast-tracked toward approval.

The bill sailed through the Senate's Health, Housing and Family
Safety committee on Wednesday, but it has at least a few committees
left before it hits the Senate floor.

A companion bill in the House is still in its first committee,
though it has acquired nearly 20 co-authors, including Rep. Steve
Sviggum, a Republican from Kenyon, and Rep. Ken Tschumper, a
Democrat from La Crescent.

The bill would let doctors prescribe marijuana for anyone with a
chronic or debilitating illness. Marijuana can help alleviate pain,
loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting -- common symptoms associated
with chronic illnesses.

Lawmakers have introduced similar bills in recent years, but none
has come close to final approval. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has the
ultimate choice on whether to veto the bill or sign it into law, has
not supported similar efforts in the past.

Smoking Ban: Slowly And Not Always Surely

Bars and restaurants where alcohol accounts for the majority of
sales are not exempted from a proposed statewide smoking ban.

At least so far.

The proposal is still in the Senate's Business, Industry and Jobs
Committee, where it narrowly survived amendments that would exempt
certain places from the ban. A similar bill is making its way
through the House, and both proposals may face floor votes in
the coming weeks.

The Senate committee is expected to vote on the proposal on Monday.

Vote No, Lose The Dough

Next week, senators will have to put their money where their mouths are.

In the six weeks since the daily expense allowance for Minnesota
senators rose from $66 to $96, there's been grumbling about the
decision. But only five senators have chosen to take less than the
maximum check.

In response to the complaints over the per diem boost, the Senate's
leaders decided to tie the increase to a high-stakes vote: Vote no
and forfeit the dough.

The measure has an escape clause. Lawmakers who oppose the
resolution could still get paid as long as they write a letter
asking for the payment, unlike the usual practice where lawmakers
automatically get the money unless they make other arrangements.

The resolution emerged from a Senate committee after some testy
exchanges Thursday.

Senators are paid $31,140 a year in salary, but they also are
eligible for thousands of dollars a year in allowances for food,
mileage and other costs of serving.

Early education funding unlikely

Various early education funding bills have been circulating the
House and Senate, but local lawmakers are unsure where funding for
initiatives like all-day, everyday kindergarten would come from.

Sen. Sharon Ropes, DFL-Winona, who is on the education policy
committee, said the committee has not heard any early education bills.

Ropes said Friday she thinks support for early childhood education
funding, as well as for all-day kindergarten, is widespread.

"Right now we're just saying, 'Great idea. Let's pass it,'" she said.

Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, said Friday the budget forecast is
likely to come out next week, when lawmakers will know more about
how much money they'll have to work with.

With competing interests like property tax relief and higher
education, he said he doubts the Legislature will be able to satisfy
all interests.