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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

MN Lawmakers Graded Through a Child's Lens

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Thursday, October 21, 2010   

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Smart investments in children are an investment in Minnesota's future. That statement is the reason behind a just-released yearly report card on state lawmakers from the Children's Defense Fund Action Council. Votes on five pieces of Minnesota child-focused legislation - relating to poverty, health coverage and juvenile justice - were tallied, and each legislator was given a grade based on the votes he or she made.

Following the political process to see exactly how lawmakers vote can be difficult, according to Jim Koppel with Children's Defense Fund Minnesota.

"This report card is an attempt to say to politicians, 'We're watching; we expect you to take better care of our children; we expect you to give a priority to issues that impact children. And we'll report how you vote so that the public can see this.'"

Forty-four of 67 Minnesota senators received a score of 100 percent, and only one senator received a 0-percent score. In the Minnesota House, 67 representatives received a 100-percent score and 13 received a score of zero percent.

Koppel contends that society is responsible for ensuring that children's basic needs are being met.

"Children don't vote, they don't advocate for themselves, so adults need to advocate for them. But we have too many adults who are not child-focused, do not see the future through the eyes of children or see how their actions impact children."

He hopes the report card spurs public action.

"We want the public to respond to this and ask, 'Why do we have so many legislators who don't make children a priority?'"

Koppel adds that the scores are not an endorsement of, or an opposition to, any lawmaker, but are simply a record of how they voted. The state and congressional scorecards are available at www.cdfactioncouncil.org.




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