Part of the joys of majority in the victory of the Democrats in Minnesota last November is at last they can give voice to the bills they desire. Which is just fine for the rest of us. Minority Leader Marty Seifert is giving us a look at a liberal's shopping list:

Seifert�s list of complaints includes DFL bills that would force school ball parks and stadiums to have shields on their lights to prevent �light pollution;� a bill to give 16-year-olds the right to vote in school board elections, but not school tax levy referendums (�I can see some student saying, �I don�t like my teacher, let�s elect someone to the school board who will get rid of her,�� Seifert said.); and requiring junkyards to install cameras to photograph their customers.

The list didn�t include one bill introduced Thursday, said Seifert, �The stupidest bill I�ve heard in ten years in the Legislature,� banning glass containers on public beaches and on watercraft in the state. The bill would set a penalty of up to 90 days in jail for every glass container: a six-pack of Buddy�s Orange Soda could get you a year and a half in jail.

Meanwhile, the Republicans propose something just a little more sensible like, say, reconciling the state estate tax to the federal estate tax.

Labels: legislature, Minnesota