Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders have reached a budget deal at the Capitol.
A press conference is planned for Thursday morning where state leaders will discuss the deal. The legislative session ends on Monday, May 19. Lawmakers had to pass a more than $60 billion two-year budget this session. Even though there is a deal, lawmakers may still need a special session to finish the work.
“Amid partisanship and division in Washington, Republicans and Democrats are proving that here in Minnesota we can still work together to get things done,” Walz said, in a statement. “This agreement will ensure Minnesota continues to be the best place in the country to raise a child, while responsibly addressing long-term structural budget challenges. While we disagree on many things, every person in the negotiating room has the best interest of our state in mind. I want to thank House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, as well as Senate Leaders Erin Murphy and Mark Johnson, for bringing their passion and ideas to the room and working in good faith to improve the lives of the people we serve.”
Republican House Speaker Demuth said in a statement on the deal: “While we began this session by navigating a tie in the House and the most closely divided legislature in state history, we’ve been able to come to an agreement that improves the lives of Minnesotans and addresses the budget issues in coming years.”
She added that there was still work to do in the remaining days of the session.
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said in a statement that “hard work” and “compromise” went into the effort.
“Our budget framework invests in shared goals like education, health care and family budgets, and prioritizes children, workers and vulnerable communities,” Murphy said. “We will balance the state budget for the next two years. And now we begin addressing the future budget challenges created by Washington, D.C.”
This is a breaking news story. Check back with twincities.com for more updates.
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