May 18th: This post will document
MNGOPAC's MN Gun Owners Political Action Committee's and
GOCRA's Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance's efforts to get Governor Dayton to sign the
Public Safety Omnibus Bill into law.
MNGOPAC is launching radio adds and an online effort to urge the governor to sign the bill. They are spending money raised in the last few weeks towards the effort.
Youtube video they madewww.mngopac.org/petition Petition urging the governor to sign.
The previously mentioned protesters are back at it today. Here is a picture of the protest in favor of illegal aliens getting drivers licenses.
Free civics lesson: If the House and Senate are about to adjourn for the year in less than six hours as per the MN constitution, and the transportation bill you are interested in amending has already been through a conference committee, then it is impossible to add your wishes to the final bill.
MNGOPAC is dropping off the signatures from the petition. They have a bit over 3000. The opposition claims to have over 500 (edit: This number has gone up, but our side has chosen to not make it official), many may be from out of state though.
http://americansuppressorassociation.com/blog/ has a post up about MN getting the governor to sign.
Vista Outdoor posted a copy of their letter to the governor. They support it.
10:00 PM Governor Dayton gives us an update: From Eric Lucero (Wright County, R, very pro gun and freedom, also my rep)
***ALERT***
• Minutes ago I received an official email from the "Office of Governor Mark Dayton & Lt. Governor Tina Smith"
• Absolutely no joke, below is the unedited text of the beginning of the email. The title of the email is "Governor Dayton Calls for universal Half-day Pre-K Investment," but text of the email begins by speaking about drinking water! An incoherent email from our Governor...
ST. PAUL, MN – Governor Mark Dayton held a news conference yesterday regarding the need for legislation funding universal half-day pre-Kindergarten this session.
“I'm doing what I believe is the best for Minnesota. Again, this is not about who gets wins and losses – and gets their number one priority or anything else. This is about what's right for Minnesota. This is what's best for people who have got to drink the water. Right now, it's declining in quality all over the state as both the Department of Health and Pollution Control Agency have documented in the last couple weeks.
“This is about four-year-olds and their parents and giving them a better chance in life. And giving kids from disadvantaged backgrounds a chance in life. That's what I'm fighting for. I'm fighting for the kids of Minnesota. I'm fighting for the parents of Minnesota. I'm fighting for the parents of those kids. I'm fighting for the people who need to drink quality water and think they are but will be horribly shocked that they're not. That's what I'm fighting for.
Remember that the Legislature ends for the year at midnight. Only tangentially related, but it might give some hints as to when the governor will sign stuff. Also it is important to know if everything gets done that must get done.
10:30 House passed the .gov funding bill.
10:53 Senate called to order.
10:54 Under call.
10:55 Sgt at Arms is going to drag people in.
11:00 House on the legacy finance bill, Senate doing jobs, energy, finance.
Senate recessed after the vote for about a half hour.
10:57 Omnibus ag bill going.
11:37 The Senate was recessed for a while but is back. They are rushing, the House is BSing. The Senate is trying to rush through the Economic Dev and Energy bill.
11:47 In the Senate: Net metering might be scaled back. No one has even read the bill, many are complaining about having to vote on a bill without being able to read it.
11:48 Looks like that is happening.
11:56 Senate is breaking down. The speaker just said $#!T. An amendment was flip flopping after the vote was closed and it went from losing by one, to winning by one vote.
11:58 Energy passed barely.
11:59 House went crazy, voice amendment to match senate, nothing but crazy shouting.
11:59 A real vote, landslide approval of the bill.
12:00 Tons of crazy yelling in the House.
12:00 More crazy voice vote BS regarding whether to adjourn. I am surprised they can get away with that.
12:01 Senate still going, passed a bill after midnight.
12:02 Senate adjourned.
12:03 A nice speech about the history of the Senate.
12:16 Speech over, it was good, lots of history. I am guessing unless there is a veto that is it for the House and Senate for the year.
May 19th
GOCRA and mnguntalk are the subject of a DDoS from Russia. GOCRA seems to have a good theory as to who is behind it.
From Rob Doar Political Director at MNGOPAC: The bills arrived on the governor's desk withing the last few hours. He has until Friday if he wishes to act.
Rob Doar: Dayton presser at 2:00PM Should have some news then.
NPR and the Star Tribune both said he's signing everything except the education bill. We won't know for sure until the press conference, or possibly even the actual signing.
2:12 Education vetoed.
Press conference has started, education will be vetoed once he gets it. Talking about his reasons. He wants mandatory pre kindergarten, and money for poor people.
2:19 Still on education, mainly pre-K.
2:21 Q&A He claims he hasn't seen the bills yet. Will wait until up to midnight Friday to decide if he will sign or veto.
2:25 Dayton blaming everyone else, especially Republicans for the veto and the special session.
2:40 Rob Doar: Fun Fact: NEITHER the House (GOP controlled) or the Senate (DFL controlled) voted to fund Univ PreK ?#?mnleg? H/T @JimNashMN47A
2:41 Gov Dayton made a joke about the last minute and a half of the House session. He watched it on youtube. Both the House and Senate broke down in the last few minutes. It's kind of good if you are used to watching their boring proceedings.
2:45 gov Dayton: They hate the public schools, the Republican leadership. Because they prove everything they say about the schools is wrong.
He is really going at the Republicans now. Blaming daycare centers for Pre-K failing. He claims the daycare lobby had a part in his plans failure.
2:53 Dayton is attacking superintendents and others for his Pre-K plan failing. Seems no one likes the idea.
2:56 Press conference is ending. He falsely claimed a few times to have not been presented with bills he (or at least his people) have been presented with. I guess we will know by midnight Friday if he signs or vetoes. Firearms did not get a mention.
http://video.startribune.com/livestream-gov-dayton-news-conference-on-2015-session-2-p-m/175907151/ link to conference.