Minnesota Senate office building lawsuit dismissed

This is a rendering of the proposed Senate Office Building, to be built next to the state Capitol in St. Paul. (Courtesy of Minnesota Department of Administration)

A judge Friday tossed out a lawsuit seeking to halt progress on a new state Senate office building.

Ramsey County District Judge Lezlie Marek dismissed the suit brought by former state Rep. Jim Knoblach, R-St. Cloud. While Knoblach argued the law authorizing a $63 million Senate building and a $27 million parking ramp violated the state Constitution's rule that only one subject be included in any law, the judge said the construction projects and other parts of the bill are linked.

The bill, approved by the DFL-controlled Legislature in 2013, containing the projects also dealt with several tax issues. Knoblach and others, especially Republicans, said the Senate project should have been included in a separate bill dealing with construction projects.

The office building and parking ramp project, to be built near the Capitol in St. Paul, still faces a vote in the House Rules Committee. Some officials have asked if the price tag could be lowered.

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Minnesota Senate office building lawsuit dismissed