Lawmakers consider changing number in Minnesota Legislature to avoid ties

Leaders at St. Paul's Academia Cesar Chavez charter school say they're profoundly concerned about recent reports that Chavez sexually assaulted women and girls. And Democratic secretaries of state are urging Congress to block an elections bill they say could prevent millions of eligible voters from casting a ballot.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

President Trump’s nominee to replace Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security says he regrets comments he made about Alex Pretti after Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis in January. In the immediate wake of that shooting, Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin had called Pretti a deranged individual who had come to cause, “max damage.” And a bill to ban non-disclosure agreements around proposed data centers passed a state senate committee yesterday with bipartisan support.Those stories and more in the evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A bill intended to improve transparency around proposed data center projects is gaining bipartisan backing in the Minnesota state legislature. Bills introduced in the state house and senate would ban local governments from signing non-disclosure agreements that prohibit them from sharing details on who is behind data center proposals.A health system in Northern California plans to acquire Minnesota-based Allina Health. Sutter Health and Allina Health announced Tuesday that they signed a nonbinding letter of intent to combine into a $26 billion nonprofit system.Residents of mobile home parks were at the Minnesota Capitol Tuesday asking legislators to keep their parks affordable. Residents say as private equity firms buy up mobile home parks, rent and evictions have increased dramatically.

Lawmakers in the tied Minnesota House of Representatives are considering shaking up the number of state legislators to avoid future ties.And Gov. Tim Walz is asking lawmakers to approve a new tax on social media companies as part of his supplemental budget plan.Those stories and more in the evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Snow is forecast to develop across central and southern Minnesota through the day Saturday and intensify Saturday night. Winter storm warnings are in place for the weekend for most of the southern half of the state, including the Twin Cities. A Minnesota Senate Committee Friday approved a bill that bans assault weapons.Those stories and more in today’s evening update. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota lawmakers were divided over a bill seeking to ban local governments from allowing ICE to use their jails for detention. The bill stalled in a House committee Wednesday on a tie vote. Some Republican legislators who voted no on the bill said many Minnesotans protesting ICE were not cooperative with law enforcement and defied federal law.Minnesota’s leaders of the national Target boycott say the economic blackout of the retail giant continues. Local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong says the main demand — for Target to reinstate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has not been met and so the boycott can not end.