Dayton vetoes two abortion bills
Political sparring around the Minnesota Capitol intensified Wednesday, two days after the Legislature adjourned, as Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed bills close to Republican hearts.
At the same time, freshman Republican senators shot back a day after Dayton said they knew little about government and cared even less about it.
Dayton vetoed two anti-abortion bills and said he would veto one to require Minnesotans to show photo identification before voting.
He also vetoed what he called a “mean-spirited, divisive, unMinnesotan” proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, but his action will not stop the public from voting on it next year.
The symbolic veto drew attention to the most publicized bill that passed the 2011 legislative session. The proposed amendment passed with mostly Republican votes to define marriage as between a man and a woman, effectively banning same-sex marriages.