| State Sen. Nicole Mitchell’s case heads to trial 15 months after an arrest on felony burglary charges. The Woodbury DFLer will stand trial in Becker County on two counts related to an alleged break-in at her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home last April. Authorities found her in a basement after they responded to an emergency call. Mitchell's trial was delayed last month following the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers at their homes. Dane DeKrey, one of Mitchell's attorneys, told our colleague Mathew Holding Eagle III that their fundamental strategy is to explain why she entered the home that night . "That is the central dispute in the case, whether her motives were good or whether her motives were bad, and I think that will be the central focus on whether or not we're able to secure a not guilty verdict,” DeKrey said. Mitchell allegedly told police she went to the house to retrieve some of her late father's belongings. DeKrey says Mitchell may testify on her own behalf. The arrest was the subject of frequent debates at the Capitol, as well as calls for Mitchell to resign her seat or be expelled.
Candidates vying to fill the seat vacated by the late House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman can file starting tomorrow. Gov. Tim Walz formally set the date for special election in the District 34B House race. It will be held on Sept. 16 with primary elections to take place Aug. 12 if multiple candidates from the same political party file. The House currently has 67 Republicans and 66 DFLers. The next regular session isn’t due to begin until Feb. 17, but a special session could be called sooner if there is an emergency or a need to patch up the state budget after federal budget moves.
One of the products of last month’s special session is a new law set to take effect next year that will require social media companies to pop up mental health warning labels for users. Supporters say they warnings are needed to alert users, especially young ones, about the potential hazards of spending too much time on the sites. Social media companies oppose the new requirement and say it violates their free speech rights. They say they’ll urge lawmakers to roll back the requirement before it takes hold next July. You can read more about the law here.
Minnesota finance officials are reporting stronger tax collections than expected in recent months, but are warning about economic challenges in the months to come. A quarterly economic update out last week offered a mixed view. It shows that Minnesota ended its fiscal year in June with roughly $850 million in additional revenue. That was entirely on individual income taxes because all other tax categories lagged projections. The report says tariffs, inflation and hesitancy for business investment signal a likelihood for slower growth the rest of this calendar year and a tepid outlook into the future.
A ruling could come at any point on a federal lawsuit involving Minnesota abortion laws. Judge Nancy Brasel heard arguments Friday in a case that alleges state laws are coercive and have led to involuntary abortions. State lawyers moved to dismiss the case brought by groups that oppose legal abortion as well as women who had the procedure. Friday’s arguments were before a crowded courtroom, underscoring the attention being paid to the case.
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