Could the day be upon us?

-- Updates below jump --

The long-awaited day is finally here. This afternoon, the Minnesota House is expected to vote on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.

SEE ALSO: Gay marriage opponents waved bizarre signs during yesterday's Capitol rally [PHOTOS]

Earlier this week, DFL leaders said they're totally confident they have to votes to get marriage equality to Governor Dayton's desk, but a recent headcount done by Politics in Minnesota suggests the bill's prospects in the House aren't so certain.

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It looks like the new Minnesota minimum wage will fall somewhere between $7.25 and $9.50 an hour.

With both the House and Senate passing a bill to increase Minnesota's minimum wage, it seems like a foregone conclusion that an increase will be signed into law by Governor Mark Dayton. But exactly what that increase will amount to remains an open question.

SEE ALSO: DFL Rep. Jason Metsa seeks to understand poverty by living on minimum wage... for a week

The bill passed yesterday by the Senate in a party-line vote would increase Minnesota's minimum wage to $7.75 by 2015, 50 cents above the current $7.25 an hour federal level. But the House wants to give minimum-wage workers a more generous raise and last week approved a bill that would raise the rate all the way up to $9.50 an hour.

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Sen. Dibble (left) and Rep. Thissen say marriage equality is basically a done deal.

Before this weekend is in the books, marriage equality might be approved by the Minnesota House and Senate.

SEE ALSO:
-- MN for Marriage: "Don't let the metro area force gay 'marriage' on the rest of the state"
-- Minnesota for Marriage's Hinckley rally was the biggest megafail in the history of megafails [VIDEO]

Today, DFL leaders in both chambers say they believe they already have the votes in place. The House has scheduled a floor vote for Thursday, and Sen. Scott Dibble, chief sponsor of the marriage equality bill in the Senate, said his chamber could vote on the companion bill as soon as Saturday. Gov. Mark Dayton, of course, has said he'll sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

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Image by Tatiana Craine

Rep. Carly Melin, D-Hibbing (left) and Sen. Scott Dibble, D-Minneapolis (right), are the lead authors of the bill.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle will introduce companion bills to legalize medical marijuana today at the Capitol.

SEE ALSO: MNGOP spent $10,500 on study that supports legalizing medical marijuana

According to a press release distributed by the pro-marijuana law reform group Minnesotans for Compassionate Care, the bills have the maximum numbers of sponsors in each chamber -- 35 in the House and five in the Senate.

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Rep. Quam: "Bring on the cup!"

Apparently, our legislators aren't in the habit of unwinding with a big fat bowl of ganj after a long day at the Capitol. Either that or St. Paul headshops should stock up on system flushers.

SEE ALSO: Medical marijuana supported by vast majority of Minnesotans, but won't be legalized this year

That's because yesterday, members of the Minnesota House included a provision in the Health and Human Services budget bill calling for members to submit to drug tests. If they fail, they won't receive their salary.

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mlive.com

A bill approved by the Senate would make this box disappear from most job applications.

On Saturday, in a 44-16 vote, the Minnesota Senate passed a bill intended to make it easier for convicted criminals to land job interviews.

SEE ALSO: MNGOP Sen. Dan Hall suggests gay marriage supporters are unpatriotic

The so-called "ban the box" bill would require most private employers to follow the public sector in eliminating the box on applications asking applicants to disclose whether they've ever been convicted of a crime. Roughly one-quarter of Minnesotans have been.

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Heather Carlson on Twitter

Senator Schmit, D-Red Wing, is one of many outstate Dems who remain undecided about marriage equality.

Minnesota for Marriage is sending mailers like the one above to outstate areas asking people to contact their local legislators and urge them to vote no on marriage equality.

SEE ALSO: Minnesota for Marriage's Hinckley rally was the biggest megafail in the history of megafails [VIDEO]

Whatever you think about gay marriage, that strategy makes sense. After all, 74 of Minnesota's 87 counties supported the amendment that would've enshrined a same-sex marriage ban in the state's constitution, so support for marriage equality is clearly concentrated in the Twin Cities.

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If House DFLers have their way, trips to the liquor store and bars will soon become more expensive.

Today, House DFLers unveiled their proposed tax bill, and it's bad news for those of you who like to drink.

SEE ALSO: The "I hate the Pedal Pub" Facebook page is hilarious [IMAGES]

House DFLers are proposing the first increase in the state's liquor tax in years. It'd add roughly seven cents to the cost of a pint, 84 cents on a 12er, 47 cents on a bottle of wine, and $1.58 on bottles of liquor.

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It's official: Graves is making another run for Michele Bachmann's job.

Jim Graves will be running for Congress in the Sixth District again next year, his campaign manager, Aaron Wells, announced this morning.

SEE ALSO: Jim Graves, Democratic challenger to Rep. Michele Bachmann: The City Pages interview

Graves, founder of AmericInn and of the luxury-focused Graves Hospitality company, lost to Bachmann by a mere 4,207 votes last November. She outspent him more than seven times over.

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Sen. David Osmek

When you don't have a good argument, you can always try making things up.

The presses have been alerted -- a politician has spoken untruthfully.

SEE ALSO: Gay marriage opponents waved bizarre signs during Capitol rally [PHOTOS]

This time, the culprit is first-term Sen. David Osmek, R-Mound, who either hasn't read the not-especially-long text of the marriage equality bill being considered by the legislature this session or isn't concerned to describe it accurately.

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