While I await Governor Pawlenty's last demonstration of his goalie skills, it's worth noting a couple minor irritating bills that we've discussed before have gotten through to be laws.

• The cyber-bullying bill passed. So now each school district will have a new cost put upon them, and another place to practice zero tolerance.
• The governor signed off on the bill to regulate amusement rides, though it appears the law requiring riders not to "behave in an unsafe manner" on the roller coaster is not in the one he signed.
• You can no longer get warm in your car while you fill your gas tank. SF 1193 now says that "A person fueling a motor vehicle must be in close attendance to the dispenser nozzle during the fueling process." What constitutes close attendance is left to law enforcement officials, I guess.

In a number of cases, bills that were floated around alone ended up incorporated in omnibus bills; for example, freedom to poop ended up in the SF2089, the omnibus jobs and economic development bill that the governor vetoed. SF434, the cradle part of cradle-to-grave government care and advocacy of the nanny state, ended up in the first HHS bill. As time permits I'll check on some of the other silly bills we have discussed.

Labels: legislature, Minnesota, Pawlenty