Good morning. Raise your hand if your air conditioner needs a break!

Almost 75,000 Minnesotans have tapped paid family and medical leave benefits through the state during the first six months the program has been up and running. Department of Employment and Economic Development officials gave an update yesterday about what they’d experienced so far. Since launching late last year, DEED reported that 126,373 applications had been submitted, with an approval rate of nearly 60 percent. An application doesn’t automatically translate into granted leave. Almost half of the approved leave cases — 38,000 — were for family bonding. Medical leave requires applicants to include certification from a health provider and that category had a lower approval rate. DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek said that despite some small hiccups, the rollout had gone off pretty well. “We had predictions that we would be behind schedule in launching, we had predictions that we would be over budget in launching, we had predictions that the technology would not work properly,” Varilek said. “I'm happy to note that on those three measures: We came in under budget with implementation. We launched early. And the technology has operated smoothly.” Officials left open the question about whether they’d pursue a bump in the payroll tax to fund the program. News about that is expected later this month.

Nuclear energy has a place in this year’s race for governor. The three leading Republicans in the race all support repealing a 1994 moratorium on new nuclear plants that came as concerns over waste storage were on the public radar. Now, as the type of nuclear facilities changes and demand for power to feed ubiquitous electronics, Minnesota is undergoing a study to determine if the moratorium has run its course. Likely Democratic nominee Amy Klobuchar told the Star Tribune through a spokesperson that she is open to changing the law if safety and cost remain paramount. That’s consistent with a stance she took in her 2020 presidential run. The Star Tribune’s Ryan Faircloth surveyed the top candidates and wrote about it.

Governor candidate Mike Lindell is late on his property taxes and none too happy that a local news outlet pointed that out to him. Michelle Griffith of the Minnesota Reformer contacted the MyPillow CEO about the $48,000 in unpaid property taxes on his Tonka Bay residence. Lindell assured her the check would be in the mail and that he considered her questions about it to be part of a “hit job.” Lindell said his finances have been tight. That could be in part because of the money he has spent on legal fees associated with his efforts to discredit the 2020 presidential election results. Lindell is among the top three candidates vying for the GOP governor nomination. 

GOP-endorsed U.S. Senate hopeful Adam Schwarze got an endorsement nod this week from Sen. John Hoeven. The former governor of North Dakota is in his third term in the Senate. Schwarze lacks the name recognition of his opponent Michele Tafoya, and so far hasn’t had as much backing among sitting U.S. senators. Tafoya is getting campaign help from some Senate GOP leaders. But Schwarze also has support from Minnesota native U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, who represents Montana, who like Schwarze is a former Navy SEAL. The Republican Senate race has been remarkably quiet in the leadup to the Aug. 11 primary. The candidates are mostly working their own circle, doing party gatherings and other campaigning that hasn’t been promoted to political reporters. It’s just one race where earned media — getting coverage for taking questions or doing public-facing events — isn’t seen as much of a vital currency.

We now know a majority of the eight Minnesota lawmakers who will recommend people to lead a new state watchdog office. Most appointments have been made to the Legislative Inspector General Advisory Commission, which has a critical task. It’s the entity that will recommend candidates to lead the new Office of the Inspector General, the unit set up to investigate potential misuse of taxpayer money in government-run programs. There is a requirement that the commission work in a bipartisan fashion because at least five of the eight votes are needed to advance candidates to the governor. The ultimate nominee must be confirmed by the Senate on a supermajority vote. The Senate commission appointees are: GOP Sens. Michael Kruen and Mark Koran as well as DFL Sen. Heather Gustafson and another DFL senator expected to be named as soon as this week. The House DFL commission appointees are DFL Reps. Ginny Klevorn and Matt Norris. House Republicans have named Rep. Tom Sexton and haven't said who the other person is. House Speaker Lisa Demuth has faced criticism from her GOP governor’s race rivals for supporting a new government entity to fight lapses by existing government entities.

Minnesota’s campaign finance regulators have a special meeting this week to assess the possible state impacts of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on party coordination with candidates. In June, the high court struck down the federal limits that restricted how much political parties could work in tandem with candidates, including the way advertising time is purchased. It was a decision rooted in the First Amendment. Minnesota also has some regulations. Tomorrow, the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board will discuss whether Minnesota law is also implicated. Expenditure limits for candidates who take public campaign subsidies is one discussion point. Independent expenditures by party committees are also being examined. The 10 a.m. hearing will be available remotely.

Minnesota’s budget agency is preparing for a turnover in at least some of the statewide constitutional offices. We know there will be a new governor/lieutenant governor and state auditor. It’s possible voters could opt for a new attorney general and secretary of state, too, although the incumbents are seeking fresh terms. Last week, the Department of Minnesota Management and Budget moved to get transition accounts established to allow new officeholders a chance to hit the ground running. The governor-elect will have $162,000 at her or his disposal. The auditor will have $25,000. If voters pick a new attorney general, that person will have $35,000 and a secretary of state-elect would be able to tap into a $25,000 fund. The winners might also set up separate fundraising accounts to prepare for taking office and any inaugural festivities, if history is a guide.