Good morning, and welcome to Wednesday. 

It took a while, but on Tuesday the House passed the bill that legalizes marijuana. MPR’s Brian Bakst reports: The Minnesota House kept a marijuana legalization push on course Tuesday, voting 71-59 for a bill that would permit cultivation, distribution and sales as well as home growth of cannabis. Two Republicans joined all but one DFLer in supporting the bill, with others saying they could eventually get on board if more changes they want are made. Advocates cheered the vote.  “Minnesotans have told us loud and clear that prohibition is the problem, not cannabis,” said Rep. Jessica Hanson, DFL-Burnsville. “And that they expect us to bring an end to the sinister days of prohibition and create a safe, legal, regulated market that promotes equity and reparation for our errors of the past.”  Opponents were more glum. “Unleashing this on Minnesota is not something to celebrate,” said Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, just ahead of the vote. “The people who are opposed to this bill are not trying to hold people down or harm people institutionally.” 

The Senate version of a tax bill was released Tuesday evening by Sens. Ann Rest and Matt Kline. The two DFLers said in a news release that overall the plan cuts taxes by $4 billion over four years, doesn’t raise taxes on income and spends about $325 million on public safety. A key provision is $1.1 billion in rebates totaling $564 for couples with incomes up to $150,000 and $282 for individuals with incomes up to $75,000. Taxpayers with children would get an additional $56 for each child, up to three children. The bill also includes a child tax credit for families earning up to $80,000. The credit would be $620 per-child for up to three children under age 18 or dependents with disabilities. And the plan would reduce but not eliminate taxes on Social Security income, so that 76 percent of Minnesotans with Social Security income would not pay taxes on that income. And the bill includes property tax relief and help for families paying for child care. A tax increase on multinational corporations would raise $452 million. That’s similar to a provision in the House tax bill, but unlike the House the Senate does not create a new top income tax bracket. The Senate tax committee will get a look at the bill this morning. 

The Minnesota Senate passed a $1 billion housing bill Tuesday by a vote of 39-28.The Pioneer Press reports: The legislation, sponsored by DFL Sen. Lindsey Port of Burnsville, aims to reduce children’s homelessness, cut racial disparities in homeownership rates and subsidize construction of more affordable homes. It also would impose a 0.25 percent sales tax increase in the seven-county metro area to help pay for new housing programs. The tax would raise an estimated $353 million over the next two years and $391.2 million in 2026-2027. The bill would provide eight times more money for housing than the state currently spends, Port said. Most of the funding — about $750 million — would go to building new housing. It now goes back to the House, which passed a similar measure next week. If the two chambers resolve any differences, the bill would go to Gov. Tim Walz, who has pledged to sign it.

Some Minnesota reaction to President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign announcement. Sen. Tina Smith told MPR’s Mark Zdechlik that  Biden is well-positioned to lead the Democratic ticket going into the 2024 presidential race. She dismissed critics who say Biden is too old for another term. "I think that he is demonstrating every single day his capacity to lead this country. And I just disagree with that assessment, having been around him, having had a chance to work with him and seeing what he has done,” Smith said. I have some total confidence in his leadership." Meanwhile Republican Party of Minnesota Chair David Hann said Republicans would do everything they can to oppose Biden’s reelection effort. “Since taking office, President Joe Biden’s failed policies and extreme agenda have brought our country rampant inflation, rising crime, a dangerous crisis on the border, failing schools and big-government overreach,” Hann said. “Meanwhile, the President’s approval ratings continue to hover around record lows.” 

The Associated Press reports:North Dakota on Monday adopted one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country as Republican Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation banning the procedure throughout pregnancy, with slim exceptions up to six weeks’ gestation. In those early weeks, abortions would only be allowed in cases of rape or incest, or in medical emergencies. After six weeks, rape and incest victims cannot get abortions. Abortions to treat some medical emergencies, such as ectopic pregnancies, are allowed at any stage of pregnancy. “This bill clarifies and refines existing state law ... and reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state,” Burgum said in a statement. 

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