Daily Digest: Real ID bill fails

Good morning, and happy Tuesday. Lots of news today, so let's get right to the Digest.

1. The Minnesota Senate Monday rejected a bill that would put the state in compliance with federal Real ID standards.  The vote came a week after Gov. Mark Dayton called on senate Democrats to oppose the bill unless it allowed for unauthorized immigrants to get drivers’ licenses. All Senate Democrats joined with a handful of Republicans who have long opposed the bill because they say it gives the federal government too much power. If the state doesn't adopt the new standards by January it could be hard for Minnesotans to travel by air and to gain admittance to some federal facilities. (MPR News)

2. Lawmakers took the first steps Monday toward restructuring the agency that runs U.S. Bank Stadium, in the wake of a months-long scandal. By a 122-7 vote, the House approved a measure to abolish the current 5-member Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, appointed mostly by the governor, and replace it with a 7-member body appointed mostly by legislators. An amendment added Monday would add a certified public accountant to the board, an addition that supporters said would strengthen oversight of the stadium and its operations. (MPR News)

3.  A big change to Minnesota voting is under consideration at the state Capitol. It would set up what are known as provisional ballots. In short, voters who are challenged due to criminal convictions, citizenship questions or diminished mental capacity could have their ballots set aside and left uncounted unless those people can prove they were eligible. (MPR News)

4.  Lawmakers are discussing a bill that would require state government agencies — from school districts, cities and counties to state agencies — to save public electronic communications such as emails for at least three years. Opposition is coming from state agencies, who say the proposals would put a massive burden on government entities across the state, and the issue has sparked a contentious debate about everything from government transparency to the value of historical documents. (MinnPost)

5. In Washington House Republicans late Monday rolled out their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. It would limit future federal funding for Medicaid, which covers low-income people, about 1 in 5 Americans. And it would loosen rules that former President Barack Obama's law imposed for health plans directly purchased by individuals, while also scaling back insurance subsidies. Republicans say their solutions would make Medicaid more cost-efficient without punishing the poor and disabled, while spurring private insurers to offer attractive products for the estimated 20 million consumers in the market for individual policies. But Democrats say the bill would make many people uninsured, shifting costs to states and hospital systems that act as providers of last resort. (AP)

6. President Trump Monday signed a new executive order that temporarily blocks visas from being issued to citizens of six majority-Muslim countries, revoking and replacing a controversial, now-suspended executive order known as the travel ban.  Like the initial order signed Jan. 27, the new executive order bars arrivals from specific majority-Muslim countries for 90 days and suspends the entire U.S. refugee program for 120 days. It also caps the total number of refugees admitted this fiscal year at 50,000, instead of 110,000. But there are differences. The ban announced Monday no longer includes Iraq. It explicitly doesn't apply to lawful permanent residents or existing visa holders. Syrian refugees are not banned indefinitely. Refugees already formally scheduled for travel to the U.S. will be permitted to enter the country. (NPR)

• Politics Friday: Should we stop trusting pre-election polling?
• MPR News congressional debates: 7th District and 8th District
• Politics Friday: 1st District, 3rd District congressional candidates debate the issues
• MPR News congressional debates in the 6th and 2nd Districts