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State should pay for sex assault exams in Minnesota

It, not counties, should do so to remove any confusion. The emergency medical exam that sexual assault survivors undergo assesses injuries, guides treatment and collects evidence that can be crucial in prosecuting perpetrators. The last thing a victim and medical provider should worry about during this delicate procedure is “Who will pay for this care?” While Minnesota counties must pick up the cost, the regrettable reality is that there has long been confusion about who should foot the bill for exams, with inconsistencies heaping further injustice on victims. A 2016 report ...

Give the road your full attention when driving

April has been designated as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and that’s a good reminder of the importance of putting down your cellphone or anything else while you drive and putting your focus exactly where it should be: on the road and your surroundings. If common sense and the fear of a deadly wreck aren’t enough to convince you of the need to not drive distractedly, there may just be a ticket in your future if law enforcement sees you endangering yourself and others by not paying proper attention when you’re ...

Thumbs Up/Down

Music Hall of Fame THUMBS UP: The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame is holding its annual induction ceremony next week, and once again the inductees they have selected reflect the eclectic styles of music that Minnesota inspires. The list includes Old Tyme, bluegrass, classic rock, jazz and liturgical music — something for everyone. The inductees include the Jolly Huntsmen polka band, bluegrass artist Becky Buller, early Minnesota rockers the Del Counts, Jazz musician Gwen Matthews and liturgical composer Fr. Jan Michael Joncas, whose new classic hymns include “On Eagles Wings” and ...

Rising oil prices a fist bump to the stomach

Oil prices surged 6.3% on Monday, to close to $85 a barrel on the global market, after a group of Saudi-led producers said they’ll reduce production by a million barrels a day starting in May. That’s another fist bump to the stomach from President Biden’s admirers in Riyadh, and it’s a warning to Democrats in the U.S. of how vulnerable they are to oil producers abroad. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus Russia already cut oil production by two million barrels a day in October. Monday’s additional reduction took markets by surprise, as the price surge ...

Automatic voter registration would diversify juries

We have supported proposals to strengthen Minnesota’s voting laws by expanding access and making it easier to vote. We also support automatic voter registration, which would have the added benefit of helping diversity jury pools in Minnesota. A Minnesota Supreme Court study from 2018 showed most juries in Minnesota did not reflect the population, particularly people of color. Whites make up 82% of the population in Minnesota but are 88% of juries. In Blue Earth County, the study showed a non-white population of 10%, but only 4% ended up on juries. In Hennepin County, Blacks make up ...

The case for rental assistance in Minnesota

Increased funding in Minnesota would help low-income families, reduce other burdens. In many Minnesota counties, an average of 1 in 7 renters spends more than half of their monthly income on housing. And in some counties, that figure is as high as 56%. That means lower-income individuals, families and seniors often face tough budget choices that force them to spend less — or not at all — on necessities such as medications, food and transportation. That’s why a bill urged by a coalition of housing advocates who call their efforts “Bring it Home Minnesota” merits support. ...