Gov. Tim Walz announced Friday that he has called for a special session for the Legislature after reaching a budget agreement with Republican and Democratic legislative leaders.
The special session will begin at 10 a.m. Monday.
Last month state leaders announced they had reached a budget framework that called for a two-year budget of $66 billion to $67 billion but agreeing on details hasn’t been easy. Leaders have been meeting behind closed doors after the end of the regular session to hammer out details. Lawmakers will return to vote on the final agreement.
“This bipartisan budget agreement makes thoughtful reductions in state spending while keeping us on track to make Minnesota the best state in the country to raise a child,” Walz said in a statement. “It is the result of hundreds of hours of good-faith, bipartisan debate on the best ways to improve the health, safety, and wellbeing of Minnesotans. While all sides had to make concessions in order to reach a compromise, I’m grateful to our legislative partners for their collaboration and dedication to moving Minnesota forward.”
House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said that despite the delay to the session Minnesota want lawmakers to finish work on the state’s two-year budget.
“I look forward to finishing the state budget with the largest cut to state spending in history, important reforms to Earned Sick and Safe Time and Paid Family Leave, and other important wins for Minnesotans across the state,” Demuth said in a statement.
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said the budget agreement indicates lawmakers can work through difficult issues to fond common ground.
“That means protecting generational gains made for workers, schools, healthcare, care givers, kids, seniors, and parents, and taking important action in addressing our future budget challenges,” Murphy said in a statement.” We are passing a stable budget before we reach the brink of a damaging government shutdown that would have punished people living in every county of our state.”
This story will update later today.
Related Articles
Timeline for Minnesota special session blurry as budget talks continue
MN government return to office order kicks in as shutdown layoffs loom
Ramsey County: Economic Development Authority to allow flexibility on housing projects
Special session looms as Minnesota lawmakers narrow remaining budget obstacles
Letters: St. Paul should take care of what it has before spending on new things
Leave a Reply