One of the best potentials for fireworks at the Legislature today comes in the form of a House committee hearing where a bill is being considered that would allow gun owners to, in effect, shoot first and ask questions later. The bill would eliminate the state's "duty to retreat" law, meaning a person could initiate deadly force against an intruder, even if not directly threatened.
The National Rifle Association and gun-control activists have been furiously whipping up supporters, so the hearing is likely to be SRO.
A day after a bill was introduced to place a constitutional amendment on the 2012 ballot that would require voters to present a photo ID before casting ballots, a companion bill was expected to be debated by the Senate today.
Conference committees are taking up two big budget bills, on taxes and health and human services.
Gov. Mark Dayton's day is strictly ceremonial. After attending the annual Minnesota Prayer Breakfast, he's headed for Rochester to attend a celebration of IBM's 100th anniversary, a ceremony Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar also are expected to attend. At midday, he's attending a Worker's Memorial Ceremony in Mankato to mark the annual Worker's Memorial Day, an event observed since 1989.
During that event, Dayton will be presenting a flag to the family of Michael Struck, a state transportation employee killed earlier this year while working on flood control.
