Recent content from Briana Bierschbach

What should you do if you're eligible for a Minnesota tax rebate but it didn't arrive?
Revenue officials say nearly $1 billion in rebates have been sent to more than 2 million Minnesotans.

Have ideas for Minnesota's new flag and seal? Now's your chance to submit them.
A commission to redesign both is calling for submissions this month and will select one finalist for each.

What a federal government shutdown means for Minnesota
A shutdown could sideline some of the nearly 17,000 Minnesotans employed by the federal government.

School resource officers may soon return to dozens of Minnesota campuses
The breakthrough paves the way for departments to usher officers back to school after weeks of concerns about a law restricting student restraints.

Seizure of Mike Lindell's phone didn't violate his constitutional rights, court says
FBI agents seized his phone last year in the drive-thru line at a Hardee's in Mankato, as part of a federal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Rep. Omar leading attempt to create federal office for missing and murdered Black women and girls
Omar's bill comes after Minnesota created the nation's first Office for Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls.

Some police are leaving Minn. schools. It comes down to a two-letter change in state law.
What changed and why? We answer your questions.

Her family has ties to the man who created the Minnesota state seal. Now she'll help change it.
Kate Beane is one of 13 people who will approve the design of a new state flag and seal by Jan. 1.

Gov. Tim Walz sets Dec. 5 special election for open legislative seat
Former Rep. Ruth Richardson resigned earlier this month to focus on her work with Planned Parenthood.

Former Gov. Al Quie remembered for his 'deep humanity' and life of service
Hundreds attended his funeral Saturday or visited his casket as it lay in state at the Minnesota Capitol a day earlier.

Minnesota education activists, DFLers argue ban on student restraints needs to stay
Minnesota Republicans have called for a special session to repeal the measure that prompted several law enforcement agencies to pull out of schools.

Don't toss that letter from Montana. It could be your Minnesota tax rebate.
Paper checks are coming in from a vendor that the state has worked with in the past.

Walz open to a special session to clarify student restraint rules
Some law enforcement agencies are pulling officers from schools as students head back to the classroom.

Minnesota's state flag is about to get a long awaited redesign
A new state commission starts its work Tuesday and has until Jan. 1 to come up with a new state flag and seal.

Minnesota's 16- and 17-year-olds can now pre-register to vote. Will they sign up?
The state and other groups are making a back-to-school push to promote the new law.

What's the Great Minnesota Get-Together like for politicians when it's not an election year?
There's more fun and food — but still some campaigning.

Minnesota GOP faces balancing act on abortion ahead of 2024
After midterm losses, Republicans seek to energize the GOP base without pushing away swing voters.

'The lobbyist's lobbyist': Eric Hyland remembered as a champion of the industry
He spent decades at the Capitol as a staffer and representing high-profile clients.

Minnesota tax rebate checks start arriving this week
Nearly 1 million Minnesotans can expect to see the money in their bank accounts this week.

What you need to know about Minnesota's new law expanding gun background checks
DFL changes to firearm laws passed last session go into effect Aug. 1.

Was the 2023 legislative session the 'Minnesota Miracle 2.0'?
Democrats have frequently compared last session to the historically productive 1970s.

Minnesota Supreme Court refuses to reinstate Michelle MacDonald's law license
The perennial conservative high court candidate has had her law license suspended twice.

This veteran used psychedelics to treat his PTSD. Now he wants Minnesota to legalize it as medicine
A task force's recommendations could put the state on the front lines of psychedelic medicine.

New group will advise Walz on what to do about Uber and Lyft driver wages
Policy recommendations are due to the governor by Jan. 1.
5 Minnesota law changes that just took effect for new, expecting parents
Legislators created new job protections, unpaid leave requirements and lactating accommodations at work.

Rebates are coming this fall: How to update your banking information
Eligible Minnesotans should update their address and banking information if it's changed since 2021.

MyPillow selling equipment after retailers pull its products
CEO Mike Lindell says annual sales fell $100 million after several big-box retailers cut ties following his election claims.

Minnesota families push for insurers to cover infertility treatments
A proposal would mandate infertility coverage for Minnesotans, including up to four rounds of IVF.

There's a $352M error in the state's new tax law. Leaders say they have a fix
They must correct the tax bill during the next legislative session, which convenes in February.

States without affirmative action offer lessons for Minnesota's campus diversity efforts
Universities in California and Michigan saw drops in diversity after affirmative action bans — and the rebound has been uneven.

One year after Roe ruling, what's the status of abortion access in Minnesota's border states?
Here's where restrictions stand in Iowa, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Unions strike deal to increase state of Minnesota's pay for workers, raising some to $20 minimum wage
The tentative agreement must be ratified by rank-and-file union members.

Gov. Tim Walz proclaims 'Taylor Swift Days' in Minnesota
The proclamation marks the pop icon's sold-out shows at U.S. Bank Stadium on Friday and Saturday.

Post-Roe, Minnesota has become an island of access for patients from other states
That's created a bottleneck as patients stream into Minnesota for a limited number of appointments, increasing wait times for the procedure.

White House looks to Minnesota as a model for infrastructure, paid leave and climate policies
State DFL leaders told officials how they passed a sweeping progressive policy agenda and how they plan to implement it.

Minnesota just boosted protections for tens of thousands of election workers
The new law makes it a crime to harass, threaten or intimidate state election officials.

Free online Minnesota income tax filing? The state is looking into it
Lawmakers put $5 million in the tax bill to potentially implement a free system for state income tax forms.

Minnesota needs to hire thousands of new workers. Can the state find them?
The state will be searching for staff to enact new programs and agencies amid the tightest labor market in a generation.

What three of the Minnesota Legislature's biggest income tax changes mean for taxpayers
Use calculators to see how the changes might cause your taxes to go down — or up.

Minnesota passes major drug changes, from psychedelics task force to legalizing paraphernalia
The state's new drug policies reach far beyond legalizing marijuana.

What you need to know about one-time rebates passed by Minnesota Legislature
Eligible Minnesotans could get rebates as soon as early fall.

Walz, Democrats and advocates celebrate $72 billion budget
Republicans say the new budget will make it much more expensive to live in Minnesota.

Christian colleges and parents sue over provision in education budget
It's the first lawsuit filed challenging a provision in Minnesota's next $72 billion two-year budget.

Legislature ends session by passing largest infrastructure package in state history
Lawmakers sent a $2.6 billion infrastructure package to Gov. Tim Walz's desk on the final day of session.

Legislature passes $1.3B transportation deal with gas tax hike, sending it to Walz
Debate throughout the session has centered on how to fund much-needed fixes to the state's roads, bridges and public transit systems.

Minnesota House passes $3 billion tax cut plan, goes to Senate for final vote
The proposal also raises $1 billion in new revenues over the next two years.

Minnesota DFL legislators agree to index gas tax to inflation
Democrats struck a transportation budget deal they say raises funding long-term.

Legislature wrapping work on one of the most consequential sessions in Minnesota history
Democrats crossed off a long list of priorities in a single session in power. Republicans say they overreached.

Minnesota legislators strike deal on $2.6B infrastructure plan
The agreement includes more money that can be used to aid distressed nursing homes. The deal also aims to end the session on time.

Lawmakers revive Minnesota's historic tax credit
Supporters lobbied to have it restored this year, arguing that the credit helps rehab old buildings while creating construction jobs.

What is in $3B tax deal made by Minnesota Democrats?
The deal will provide one-time rebates, Social Security tax cuts and credits for some, but raise taxes on others.

Minnesota Democrats strike a deal on rebate checks, credits, Social Security tax cuts
Not everyone will see a tax cut under the bill, and some corporations and wealthier Minnesotans will be asked to pay more.

Minnesota to spend $240M to remove lead pipes across state
The funding will go toward locating lead service lines across the state and grants to replace them.

'Motivated by love': A look back at Minnesota's fight to legalize same-sex marriage
The bill was signed into law one decade ago, two years before the Supreme Court recognized gay marriages in every state.

Minnesota Democrats strike deal on background checks, red flag laws
The agreement is part of a broader public safety budget bill that includes limits on no-knock warrants.
Four key moments from Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar's new memoir
"The Joy of Politics" is Klobuchar's third book since being elected to the Senate.

5 major changes in Minnesota's 'historic' new election law
Automatic voter registration and a crackdown on disinformation are among the changes.

Minnesota lawmakers push to stock naloxone in schools to fight opioid overdoses
Proposals would help school districts cover the costs of the drug and train officials on how to administer it.

What the Minnesota Legislature passed this year, and what's still to be signed
From recreational marijuana to tax cuts, we track the major bills at the State Capitol.

New Minnesota law aims to improve worker safety at refineries
Third-party contractors must now meet training requirements for their workforce.

Legislature poised to spend $240M to replace lead service lines
The funding passed unanimously in the House and is backed by Gov. Tim Walz.

New laws make Minnesota a 'refuge' for abortion, gender-affirming care
Gov. Tim Walz signed a trio of progressive proposals Thursday, including a ban on conversion therapy.
4 Muslim legislators condemn Star Tribune editorial cartoon; publisher apologizes
Lawmakers say cartoon linked Islam to gun violence, contributing to Islamophobia.

How do Minnesota Democrats' three tax plans differ?
DFL leaders must align tax bill differences, from rebate checks to Social Security tax breaks.

What the recent rulings on medication abortion mean for Minnesota
More than half of abortions in the state are done through the use of a medication regimen that includes mifepristone.

DFL senator seeks investigation into GOP colleague for emailing explicit images
Sen. Erin Maye Quade accused Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen of violating the norms of Senate behavior.

Minnesota Democrats get 'Hamilton'-style boost for election law changes
Proposals aim to expand access to the ballot while targeting disinformation and protecting election workers.

Rebate checks, credits and Social Security tax cuts proposed in House DFL bill
Minnesotans could see one-time checks of $275 to $550, tax credits for families and Social Security tax cuts under a proposal House Democrats unveiled Monday.

Minnesota Democrats in Congress back federal appeal of medication abortion ruling
They joined 50 senators and 190 members of the U.S. House in signing on to a friend of the court brief last week.
In post-Roe America, these Minnesotans are getting people to their abortion appointments
They're part of a movement to support those navigating the new abortion landscape. In some states, case managers' jobs are targeted.

Walz and other governors pledge support in call with Ukrainian president
The call with more than two dozen governors on Tuesday comes as some Republicans are questioning the aid.

Minnesota Democrats consider tax and fee increases
From deliveries to outdoor recreation to the metro sales tax, DFL lawmakers eye price hikes along with tax cuts.

Minnesota Republicans, Democrats are polarized by Trump indictment
Voters in both parties questioned whether the criminal indictment will stick to the controversial former president.

Minnesota lawmakers target disinformation in election bill
A suite of proposals would crack down on disinformation, deepfakes and intimidation of workers in state elections.

Stephanie Burrage named Minnesota's new chief equity officer
She will take on a new role to advise the administration on policies to close racial disparity gaps in the state.