Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill Thursday expanding support for service dogs in training, marking the first bill-signing ceremony of the legislative session.

Minnesota law already prohibits housing discrimination against individuals with active service dogs. Now, the law will prevent the same for individuals training service dogs who are part of an organization accredited by Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation to train service dogs.

The new law will also prohibit any extra fees for those seeking accommodation with a service dog in training, but permit liability for any damages to the property caused by the dog.

“These are not pets,” Walz said at the signing. “These are not nice-to-have things. These are absolutely critical to the quality of life to the people who need them and the folks who train them.”

Walz was joined by the authors of the bill, Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth, and Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope.

“This is one of those small things that we do in the course of the legislative session that often does not get the attention that it deserves,” Westlin said. “And this bill actually changes lives. This will ensure that individuals who actively train service dogs will have full and equal access to housing.”

Also present was Jeff Johnson, executive director of Can Do Canines, and affected individuals with service dogs, Lydia Roseth, a Hamline University student with service dog Flint, and Jessica Eggert, from the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, with service dog Jessie.

“I have been able to take on more academically and socially than I could have ever possibly imagined. He not only has changed my life, but he has saved my life,” Roseth said.

A landlord or a board of a homeowners association may require written certification from the organization supervising the training as a condition of granting an accommodation, and may terminate the accommodation upon completion of the training.

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CROSSLAKE, Minn. – It is a Minnesota tradition like no other that the final days of the legislative session and the opening of fishing season coincide by a matter of days each May. That means in the midst of negotiations to wrap things up at the state Capitol, the governor – for 77 straight years now – heads off to a lake or river to celebrate angling on the state’s abundant waterways.

Talking about fishing and the goings on in St. Paul on Friday, in an exclusive interview with the Pioneer Press, Gov. Tim Walz said it’s time to get the lead out. And he was referring to both anglers and legislators.

He wants the legislative session to finish on time, and with an eye toward protecting the official state bird, he wants anglers to cut down on their use of lead fishing tackle.

With the May 19 deadline for adjournment of the legislative session now more than two weeks away, Walz said he will call a special legislative session, with a pre-set agenda agreed upon, if necessary, but it’s not something he wants to do.

“If you don’t set a time to mow the yard, it doesn’t get mowed. If they don’t do some of these things, then I think you just have to set the time and recognize you can’t let the perfect get in the way of the good,” he said, urging lawmakers to compromise and get to the finish line on time. “And I think the longer you wait, it becomes harder, I think then it becomes, you just keep procrastinating. And so we’re getting late. There’s no doubt about that, but there’s still an opportunity to get this done.”

He pitched once again for his wish for a lower sales tax rate, accompanied by an expansion of the sale tax to include financial planning and wealth management services, but said he will be unlikely to veto a tax bill that gets to his desk, even if it does not include his reform idea.

“I don’t threaten when I go in there, I leave things open,” Walz said. “And I just made the case on this for Minnesota. We’re talking about lowering the sales tax for 80% of Minnesotans as we see it. But right now, the sales tax excludes things like wealth management banking, things like that.”

He offered examples of what he sees as inconsistencies in Minnesota law, like the sales tax charged if you have someone trim your trees, but not if you have someone manage your money, or the sales tax charged on funeral arrangements, but not on the preparation of a last will.

“So I said, you just expand that base, lower the rate. A lot of folks don’t use those upper end services, and just candidly, the folks who use them have a little more wealth,” he said. “I think the thing is, I’m bringing this up because people’s spending habits have changed. People are using more services and less goods. But we’ll see, and I think it’s just about having consistency in our tax system.”

Whitefish Chain fishing

As is traditional for this event, which has been held everywhere from Lake of the Woods in the north to the Mississippi River near Winona in the south, Walz planned to head out with a guide on one of the dozens of lakes in the Whitefish Chain in the wee hours of Saturday morning. In Crosslake, members of the local Republican party were organizing a protest and boat parade for Saturday morning, which is not uncommon for a governor whose popularity in Greater Minnesota has varied widely since Walz was first elected in 2018.

One change the governor was advocating for this year is getting lead lures and sinkers out of Minnesotans’ tackle boxes, as ingesting the metal is harmful to aquatic birds, most notably the common loon. Legislation calling for a ban on lead fishing gear in Minnesota has failed at the state Legislature in the past. Walz said he would sign a ban if it got to his desk, but he also feels that encouraging changes rather than mandating them is the right approach.

“Here in Minnesota, we still make it your option. We’re trying to educate people on this … Loons are our state symbol now. They’re on our state seal. Very important to who we are. Lead’s very, very dangerous to them,” Walz said, noting that he hunted pheasants with bismuth-based ammunition last year and liked the feel of it.

“The waterfowl hunters have worked on this for years. I think there’s a move away from lead tackle. We’ve got Lindy and some corporations that are moving to that. I think it’s important to bring people along on their own terms. I don’t think an industry this big and the folks who’ve been doing this, that you dictate to them,” he said. “I know there is a school of thought that says we just pass a law and ban it. I think that having compliance with bringing people along, and more and more people are doing it. So I fish lead free, shoot lead free. I think (we) try to encourage people to go there, but we don’t mandate it.”

Looking back on campaign

Meeting with members of the media on radio row during the 77th annual Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener at Manhattan Beach Lodge in Crow Wing County, Walz admitted the relatively slow pace of events like these is a welcome change following the whirlwind that 2024 became for him last summer.

When Walz accepted an offer to run for second in command at the White House alongside then-Vice President Kamala Harris, his life became a non-stop world of travel and thrust his family into the national spotlight. After the Harris/Walz ticket lost in November, he said getting his body back into shape has been a goal and while Walz remains thankful for the experience, he also values his time back in this land of 10,000 lakes.

“I ate a lot, so I’m now trying to lose some weight. I was doing the ice cream at midnight type of thing,” Walz said, with a grin, looking back fondly on the campaign. “But it was quite a thing. Look, it was an honor to do it. I got to see this country more than I ever would have, but I also say this: When you travel and you see a lot, home looks pretty good. So coming back to Minnesota’s a blessing.”

By KATIE WORKMAN

Cooking for your mom on Mother’s Day is probably the Best Gift Ever for a lot of moms. Sure, we’re delighted to get flowers, or a lovely box of chocolate, or a new power drill, but what we really want is to be taken care of for one single, blessed day. Just kidding, we know you love us. Now cook something to prove it.

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A chill brunchy breakfast is a great way to go. And, by the way, it doesn’t have to be in bed. In fact, having balanced a toddler, a mug of hot coffee and a plate of eggs on my lap while lying in bed in years past, I can say that’s challenging, even when charming.

The smell of French toast cooking up on the stove should make a morning person out of anyone. There are few breakfasts that feel as indulgent, but it couldn’t be easier to make!

In some parts of the world, French toast is called “eggy toast,” “Bombay toast,” “gypsy toast” and ”poor nights of Windsor.” In France, it is actually called “pain perdu,” which means “lost bread,” as the bread is dunked into an eggy custard to soak for a while. Besides, the name French toast probably has nothing to do with France -– the most reasonable story is that a man named Joseph French invented it.

Whatever you call it, it’s a fan favorite.

For best results, choose an eggy bread

Challah is far and away my favorite bread to use for making French toast. The bread is made with eggs, so it is richer than plain white loaves, and the middle becomes almost custardy in texture when it is soaked in a milk and egg mixture and griddled up on a pan.

Brioche is another egg-based bread that is a great choice. And you can definitely use a plain Pullman loaf, a firm white bread, if you like – just make sure your slices are nice and thick.

Use bread that is a bit on the dry side, meaning it needs to be a few days old. When I have a fresh challah, I simply slice it 3/4-inch thick and leave the slices on the counter for about 24 hours to dry out a bit. Flip them sometime in the middle of the day so both sides have a chance to air dry. Or put them on a wire rack, and then you can just let them dry without having to flip them.

And it should be said that French toast leftovers heat up nicely in the microwave, so make a few extra pieces for later in the week.

Tips for making perfect French toast:

— Mix the custard batter thoroughly so you don’t get patches of just egg or milk.

— Use two skillets to make the cooking go faster, especially if you are making it for a crowd.

— Your bread slices should be around ¾-inch thick, and no more than 1-inch thick. Thinner slices might get too soggy in the custard dip and fall apart. Thicker slices are hard to cook through properly.

— Soak the bread for just long enough: too long and it will get soggy and disintegrate, too short and the milk and egg mixture won’t penetrate to the center of the bread, offering that custardy texture in the middle.

— Use moderate heat: too high and the bread will burn on the outside, too low and it won’t get that nicely browned crusty exterior.

— Preheat the pan. Again, this will allow for the nice browned exterior.

— Use a heavy skillet if possible, which holds heat more evenly. Cast iron is perfect, regular or enameled.

The recipe:

Challah French Toast

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups milk (I prefer whole)
1 loaf slightly stale challah, sliced ¾ inch thick
About 4 tablespoons butter for cooking, divided

For serving (pick and choose, or combine)

Maple syrup
Confectioners’ sugar
Berries or chopped soft fruit, like ripe peaches or nectarines

Directions:

Use a whisk or a fork to beat the eggs in a wide shallow bowl or baking pan. Beat in the vanilla, cinnamon (if using), sugar and salt. Add the milk and whisk to combine thoroughly.

Heat a very large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating up, place a piece of the challah in the milk mixture and let it sit for about 1 minute. Flip the bread and let soak for another minute. If your bread is very dry, it might need to soak for longer. Take it out when it is soaked through, but not mushy.

When the skillet is quite hot, take the bread from the milk mixture, allow any excess to drip back into the bowl, and then melt a tablespoon of the butter in the pan, swirling it to coat the bottom. Place the dipped bread in the skillet, and repeat with more slices, fitting as many pieces in the pan as possible in a single layer. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, then transfer the French toast to a serving plate or platter. Repeat with the remaining butter and dipped bread.

Serve the French toast hot with confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, berries or other fruit, and whatever other toppings you like.

French toast also goes well with Strawberry Sauce, Fruit Salad and Crispy bacon.

Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at https://themom100.com/. She can be reached at Katie@themom100.com.

For more AP food stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/recipes.