For now, Minnesota House Republicans have a 67 to 66 majority, but that won’t likely last long. After a special election in a heavily DFL district next month, the House is likely to go back to 67 Republicans and 67 Democrats.

On Thursday, we saw the first test of whether the two parties will be able to get to the 68 votes needed to pass any bill. The bill considered today was aimed at forcing more transparency in the attorney general’s office and failed on a 67 to 65 vote with no Democrats in support and all Republicans voting in favor.

“The public needs to know who’s influencing our government,” said Rep. Harry Niska, R-Majority Leader, the author of the bill. “Who is influencing all of our government, including our attorney general’s office? We need to know who is influencing them, how and why.”

Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, opposed the bill. “So what this bill does is it forces the attorney general’s office to give out information that impairs its ability to do its job.”

Before the House vote, DFL Attorney General Keith Ellison also voiced his opposition to the bill. “It’s a bad bill and it’s a bad bill because it will inhibit our ability to protect Minnesotans.”

Meanwhile, in the Minnesota Senate, Sen. Jeremy Miller authored a bill that would add metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) to the list of required newborn screenings in Minnesota. He says there are now tests to detect the rare disease that deteriorates muscle and mental functions.

There are also new therapies available to help prolong lives if the rare disease is caught before symptoms occur.

“Take this great opportunity and put this on newborn screenings so no family ever has to hear ‘Go home and make memories with your child,'” said Laura Alberts, whose son Thomas died of MLD in 2011 before there were tests to detect the disease or treat it.

The bill will likely soon get hearings in both the Senate and House.