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With an insider’s eye, Hot Dish tracks the tastiest bits of Minnesota’s political scene and keep you up-to-date on those elected to serve you.

Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Brad Schrade and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger. Contributors in D.C.: Kevin Diaz and Corey Mitchell.

Posts about Minnesota legislature

Tips for Capitol newbies

Posted by: Rachel E. Stassen-Berger Updated: January 4, 2013 - 10:45 AM

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From secret Capitol spots to warnings about echoing tunnels, Minnesota Capitol veterans are offering advice for all the new folks who will storm the domed building when session starts on January 8th.

Check out their tips for Capitol newbies below and add your own on Twitter using the hashtag #tipsforcapitolnewbies.

 

 

Rep. Gottwalt says he will resign

Posted by: Jennifer Brooks Updated: January 3, 2013 - 6:29 PM

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State Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, announced Thursday evening that he will give up his House seat before the end of this month, citing the demands of his new job.

In a letter to fellow House members, Gottwalt wrote:

Dear Colleagues:

At the beginning of December, I announced the great news that I had joined Center for Diagnostic Imaging as Director of State Legislative Policy, in a national role assisting this healthcare company in continuing its leadership in providing high quality, cost-effective diagnostic imaging services.  My role at the CDI Quality Institute is to understand and translate the complex state healthcare regulatory environment in more than 25 states in which the company sees patients, and I am proud to be working with a health care company actively seeking solutions at a critical time for healthcare across the country.

As I’ve settled in at CDI, I see the states are once again the laboratory of democracy, and each is finding its own approach to implementing the new federal healthcare law.  It’s a huge set of changes, and it makes this position one to which I must fully commit as much time and focus as possible.  It quite simply is more than a full time job, and one that will not allow me the time I need to represent the people of District 14A as their State Representative.

That is why I have made the difficult decision to resign my seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives before the end of the month.  I thank you, my colleagues, for our years of service together, and my constituents for their confidence in electing me to represent them. I will always appreciate the deep honor and privilege of serving the residents of St. Cloud, Waite Park, St. Augusta and Rockville.

Sincerely in service,

 
State Rep. Steve Gottwalt

House District 14A

Gottwalt is the second member of the state House to resign his seat since the November elections. Democratic Rep. Terry Morrow also plans to give up his seat as soon as the current legislative session ends, to take a job in Chicago. New elections cannot be scheduled until the lawmakers officially resign.

 

 

 

Rep. Gottwalt takes a lobbying job

Posted by: Jennifer Brooks Updated: January 3, 2013 - 7:16 PM

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State Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, has taken a job as director of state legislative policy for the Center for Diagnostic Imaging, a company that lobbies the Minnesota legislature.

House Republican Caucus spokeswoman Susan Closmore said Gottwalt, who was just elected to a fourth term, will remain in the Legislature. The company lobbies in a number of states and Closmore said Gottwalt's new job will not present a conflict of interest as long as his work with company lobbyists is done out of state.

The Center for Diagnostic Imaging, based in St. Louis Park, does lobby the Minnesota Legislature. Elisabeth Quam, executive director of the CDI Quality Institute, is currently registered as the company's state lobbyist.

Quam said Gottwalt will not be lobbying himself. Instead, he will keep tabs on the legislatures in the 27 states where the company does business and work with the company's lobbyists to keep tabs on healthcare policies -- particularly the rollout of the new healthcare reforms.

"What he's going to do is direct how we respond to policy initiatives," Quam said. "He'll be telling us (when Massachusetts passes a new law) what kind of regulations they have to comply with, what measures they should report on as they relate to what's been mandated by the state."

Minnesota, like other states, will be rolling out its new health care exchanges and other sweeping healthcare policy changes this session. And Gottwalt, who served as chairman of the House Human Services Reform Committee last session, will be involved in that policy debate.

But Quam said he won't be advising the company about Minnesota's legislative policy.

"Because he's got such a knowledge base, he's just a great hire for us, but we wouldn't have needed him for Minnesota, because we've already got that covered," said Quam, a former state Senate staffer and assistant state health commissioner.

Gottwalt had been employed as director of communications and consumer affairs at the Coborn’s, Inc. grocery chain, but a call to the company confirmed he no longer works there. Gottwalt also sells insurance – a career that raised eyebrows after it was revealed he works as a contractor for a brokerage firm that had lobbied his committee to move thousands of Minnesotans off MinnestoaCare and into the private insurance market.

The Minnesota Legislature returns to work on Jan. 8. Will Gottwalt be able to juggle his legislative workload and keep tabs on 26 other legislatures at the same time?

"That's for him to decide. We expect a full-time employee with what we do," Quam said.


Legislators have questions for Minnesota Orchestra officials

Posted by: Baird Helgeson Updated: December 20, 2012 - 7:08 PM

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A group of DFL state legislators want to know if Minnesota Orchestra officials misled lawmakers about the organization's financial health as it sought taxpayer money for a renovation.

“As stewards of the public trust and money, this is of great concern to us and warrants a public hearing and explanation to the legislature and the taxpayers of Minnesota,” a group of 14 legislators wrote to orchestra managers.

The letter was signed by DFL state Rep. Alice Hausman, the incoming chairwoman of the Capital Investment Committee. The letter did not include incoming DFL leaders such as House Speaker Paul Thissen, of Minnepolis, or House Majority Leader Erin Murphy, of St. Paul.

Contract talks between Minnesota Orchestra executives and musicians broke down in late September, prompting a musicians’ lockout and cancelling concerts at least through early January.

In seeking public money, orchestra officials touted years of stable budgets. Now in contract talks, orchestra managers say they are straining under anticipated shortfalls.

The legislators demanded that the orchestra turn over financial documents to musicians and get back to the bargaining table.

They say the state is not in the business of funding organizations that are not operating.

“Funding lockouts of anyone is not in the interests of the people or the state of Minnesota,” legislators wrote.

Orchestra officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Check back for updates.

 

MN Orchestra

Republican leaders oppose new social studies standards

Posted by: Jim Ragsdale Updated: December 20, 2012 - 5:24 PM

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GOP leaders of the Minnesota House say new proposed social studies academic standards de-emphasize American successes and American patriotism and should be rejected by Gov. Mark Dayton.

"Among the several deficiencies in these proposed standards is the overall de-emphasis on the contributions of the United States and our economic and political ideals," said a letter from Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, the incoming House Minority Leader, and Rep. Kelby Woodard, R-Belle Plaine, who will be the party's lead on the Education Finance Committee.

The leaders asked Dayton to veto the proposed standards, adding, "We do not believe these reflect what Minnesotans expect our students to learn and comprehend in the subject areas of history, government and economics."

Dayton spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci said it is important to the governor that the standards were developed by and for social studies teachers. "The big question is if social studies teachers support the recommendations -- and they do," she said.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said an administrative law judge heard testimony on the proposed standards Thursday and will allow for both sides to submit critiques and defenses before the judge makes a decision. Dayton will have a final opportunity to review the standards before they take effect.

Daudt's letter said "there is no mention of Osama Bin Laden, the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the global war on terrorism, or even the events of Sept. 11, 2001."

According to the website, the current standards, written in 2004, remain in effect until new standards are approved.

Social Studies Standards

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