The Capitol will be the scene of no fewer than three high-profile news conferences Thursday.

First up, law enforcement officials, county attorneys and legislators plan to come out in force against a bill that would broaden Minnesotans' ability to use deadly force without fear of prosecution. Calling it the "shoot first" bill, the officials say it would "make radical changes" to the state's gun laws.

Next, citizens opposed to the federal health care law, which they deride as Obamacare, hold a rally in the Capitol rotunda to oppose legislatioon that would establish health benefit exchanges in the state. GOP lawmakers plan to announce they will file a legal brief challenging the constitutionality of the law.

Finally, school superintendents and the mayors of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth will hold a news conference outside the governor's office to criticize K-12 funding cuts. That comes a day after legislators reached a tentative agreement on the education budget bill.

Both the House and Senate will be in session. In the Senate, the omnibus bills on energy policy, drug policy, the Legacy Amendment and abortion are on the schedule. Conference committees will take up the state government omnibus bill and the tax bill.

Gov. Mark Dayton has a largely ceremonial day.He began by speaking at a business symposium about increasing trade with France. He visits a school in Golden Valley where he plans to read to second graders and take questikons from students. At noon, he planned to meet with Minnesota State University-Mankato who are walking from Mankato to the Capitol to protest cuts in higher education funding.