Capitol View for February 20

Good morning. More than a month into session, the first vote on a bill has arrived.

The still-forming race for a Minnesota U.S. Senate seat has another big name saying “no.” U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, who didn’t rule out a run last week, told KBJR-TV in Duluth yesterday that he’s not going to run for the open seat. It puts a major GOP potential candidate out of the mix for the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Tina Smith. Other Republicans are giving it a look, but Stauber had the potential to clear the field and possibly gain the backing of President Donald Trump. Other candidates from both parties are still sizing up a run, but only a few have pressed ahead with actual campaign steps. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan filed paperwork to begin raising money toward a 2026 run. Republicans Andrew Schwarze, a retired Navy SEAL, and Royce White, the party’s 2024 Senate candidate, have both said they are running. Prognosticators who handicap races have put the race as leans Democratic, which is a step toward being more competitive than the likely Democratic rating it had prior to Smith’s retirement announcement.

Math is hard but is all math essential? A state lawmaker isn’t convinced that advanced algebra is for everybody. Sen. Rob Farnsworth, R-Hibbing, presented his bill yesterday to remove Algebra II as a requirement for graduation . Currently, Minnesota students need to take three math classes for graduation. "For students that are going into engineering, Algebra Two is a necessity. For students going into a trade, at best, it's just another class that they have to take,” Farnsworth told the Senate’s education committee. “At worst, it's a barrier to their success. We need to allow schools to offer the math classes that their students will actually use in life and in their careers." The bill would allow a personal finance class to count as a math credit option. The Senate committee chair says it's possible the bill will make it into a larger education policy package down the road. Opponents of the bill said now is not the time to retreat from rigorous standards or lower the bar.

Minnesota lawmakers are pursuing a change to restrict use of “nudifying” artificial intelligence technology. The bill would require that websites, apps and other platforms disable a function that allows use of AI to make someone appear nude or engaged in sexual acts in photos or videos. Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, said it’s meant to act as an extension of the state’s law barring nonconsensual sexual deepfakes. “For these AI-generated photos and videos, the harm begins at creation,” Maye Quade said. AI businesses that fail to remove the feature in Minnesota would face a $500,000 civil fine. Dana Ferguson reports that the bill was the subject of a lengthy discussion yesterday in the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee but wasn’t voted on. Legislators say they want to find a way to route some of the fine proceeds to people who are impacted by the faked content.

One of the next major sporting events to be held in Minnesota is the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship next winter. That has produced a request at the state Capitol for $5 million to help stage it. Minnesota Sports and Events, the organization that works to attract large events to the Twin Cities, made its case yesterday in a state Senate Committee. Speaking on behalf of the event, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter told the Senate Jobs and Economic Development committee that the investment would pay large dividends for the state. “Think of it as a mix between March Madness and the Olympics mixed with the spirit of our state Hockey Championships. We estimate an approximate $75 million boost to our state's economy through this event,” Carter said. The tournament runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, with the top 10 men’s junior national teams, including the United States. Peter Cox reports that the request, which has support from lawmakers from both parties, could be part of a larger economic development bill later on this session.