Vo l u m e x x v i i , N o . 10 J a n u a r y 2 014
The I nde p endent M e dical Business N ewsp ap er
Session or “unsession”? Anything can happen By H. Theodore Grindal, JD, and Nate Mussell, JD
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he 2014 Minnesota legislative session gets underway on Feb. 25. Even-year sessions are traditionally shorter— often just a few months long—and most often center on the bonding bill for capital investment projects, although even-year sessions have often bucked this trend in recent years. The state’s biennial budget for FY2014–15 was passed in the 2013 session, but the Legislature is likely to pass a small supplemental budget to address any projected surplus or shortfall. The upcoming November elections, in which every member of the House of Representatives and the governor will be on the ballot, will prompt legislators to focus on a few key accomplishments and try to adjourn quickly so they can return to their districts and start campaigning. During his State of the State address last year, Gov. Mark Dayton deemed the upcoming session the “unsession,” and he is urging the Legislature to focus on repealing unnecessary laws. However, the November budget forecast, combined with the inevitable politicking during an election year, make the prospect of an “unsession” rather unlikely.
The evolution of concussion Mild traumatic brain injury in the 21st century By Ronald Tarrel, DO
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ild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, has been recognized and documented in every civilization throughout history. The physical effects of mTBI are documented on the walls of caves, in ancient scriptures, and in historical text. Mild traumatic brain injury to page 10
Session or “unsession”? to page 12