Good morning, and happy Wednesday. 

Work resumed at the state Capitol Tuesday. MPR’s Tim Pugmire reports members of the House Ways and Means Committee approved a new budget resolution to guide their work in the remaining weeks of the 2022 session. The plan would increase spending levels overall by $7.4 billion.  Rep. Rena Moran, DFL-St. Paul, who chairs the committee, said the big budget surplus provides a historic opportunity to catch up and keep up with the needs of Minnesotans. “Whether that be through improved funding for our schools, increased services to our most vulnerable citizens, larger investment in preserving our natural resources and infrastructure, our targeted tax relief to families and businesses that are still recovering from the pandemic,” Moran said. Republicans complained that the plan spends too much. Rep. Marion O’Neill, R-Maple Lake, said she believes a more cautious spending approach would be better. “There really is very little cushion when you talk about world unrest and hyper-inflation and all kinds of things,” O’Neill said. “There’s not a good cushion here. It’s squeaking by the skin of your teeth and hoping things work out.”

In the Senate, MPR’s Brian Bakst reports members will soon vote on an education budget plan that is composed entirely of money to support literacy learning. A final committee approved the $30 million Republican-backed proposal Tuesday on a divided voice vote. Senate Education Chair Roger Chamberlain, R-Lino Lakes, said lawmakers devoted considerable money to schools last year, and his plan is built around a clear achievement goal. “There’s issues that have been out there hiding in plain sight perhaps,” Chamberlain said. “But this is simply an attempt to focus like a laser beam on a particular problem that matters more than anything else to kids: Being able to read by third grade.” Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, said the bill is too small, given a huge surplus and other pressing educational needs. “Frankly all of our districts are going to be a whole lot worse off next year even with this funding because it’s like a drop in the bucket,” Marty said. The DFL-led House has proposed a spending plan that would add more than $1 billion to education programs.

Travelers had mixed reactions to a judge’s ruling that ended the mask mandate on airliners and mass transit,MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reported. The change caught some travelers at MSP Airport by surprise, including Rich Cunningham of Glencoe. "I only found out about it on my ride in that I didn't have to,” said Cunningham, 49. Cunningham, who was on his way to New York to visit relatives, said he was not sure lifting the mandate was the right move. He had one around his neck but not covering his nose and mouth. He said he worries that with no mandate, those who are not protected against COVID-19 will be more likely to get sick. "If I'm in the area where there's somebody who is at high risk I will put it on for them, because this isn't just about me,” he said. “This whole thing — it's about us." Another traveler, Roxanne Roseen, was wearing a mask. She said she didn’t like the way the mandate was lifted.  "I think the CDC should decide. I don't think a federal judge should decide it because I think they know more about it than a federal judge, Roseen, 65, said. “I think they're more capable of deciding if we should or should not."

Work to expand another 12 miles of U.S. Highway 14 to four lanes in southern Minnesota is underway. It's the last leg in a decades-long effort to create a four-lane transportation corridor between Rochester and New Ulm. Local, state and federal officials gathered in Courtland on Tuesday morning for a ceremonial groundbreaking. In addition to expanding Highway 14 to four lanes between New Ulm and Nicollet, the Minnesota Department of Transportation says crews will construct a bypass around the community of Courtland and build two new interchanges, among other improvements. The $84 million project — including a $22 million federal grant received in 2020 — comes after years of calls to improve safety along that stretch of highway. Gov. Tim Walz noted at Tuesday's gathering that a former neighbor and friend was one of dozens of people killed in crashes along two-lane Highway 14 in recent decades. "Many in this crowd have stories very similar to this," Walz said. "This is one of the most dangerous highways in Minnesota. It has been for years, but the collaboration to continue to work together to improve this has been nothing short of stunning." U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith also joined other local and state officials at Tuesday's ceremony and mentioned the safety concerns driving the project.

Newly appointed U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger tells the Star Tribune that his top priority will be addressing the rise in violent crime. "We as a society disagree about a lot of things but the message that I received from everyone I talked to without exception was one of unity around the need to address violent crime," Luger said of preparing to return to office. "Violence affects everybody, and fear of violence affects everyone."

Sen. Paul Gazelka announced former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has endorsed his Republican campaign for governor. “For over 20 years I’ve known and worked with Paul Gazelka,” Bachmann wrote in a letter released by Gazelka. “Paul showed up to help with some of the toughest political fights I was privileged to be part of.”