State leaders hopeful for Minnesota budget deal ahead of special session
If the budget standoff continues through the end of this month at the Minnesota Capitol, there will be a state government shutdown on July 1 — the first time that's happened since 2011.
For weeks, legislative leaders insisted they would have a balanced budget by the end of the session on May 19. That obviously didn't happen.
The state is required to adopt a balanced budget every two years, and this is one of those years. And right now, the Legislature has a lot left to do.
Among the bills not passed is the E-12 Education budget, representing about 30% of the total state budget, and the State Health and Human Services budget, which accounts for about 28%.
Despite half the budget unfinished, leaders continue to be optimistic. DFL Majority Leader Erin Murphy, who was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m., says she's hopeful a budget will be ready so Gov. Tim Walz can call a special session for the Legislature to vote on it.
"Gosh, even this week, we're hoping that it can be this week. I know everybody needs to give the revisors the time to draft the legislation," Sen. Murphy said.
While the Minnesota House is tied at 67 Republicans and 67 Democrats, the Senate has a one-vote DFL Majority at 34 to 33. That slenderest of margins is one reason that reaching an agreement has proved so difficult.
Another hold up has been the issue of free health insurance for undocumented immigrants. Legislative leaders — including GOP Speaker Lisa Demuth, DFL Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, Sen. Murphy and Walz — agreed to roll back the benefit for undocumented adults and leave it in place for children.
But the pushback has been swift and strong. DFL legislators immediately protested the rollback agreement, even demonstrating at the governor's offices.
Sen. Murphy says with the slim majorities, a compromise had to happen.
"It is a very, very difficult vote for me and it is a very contentious issue for my colleagues, and rightfully so," she said. "But it was a chief priority for the Republicans."
With DFL legislators deeply fractured, it's unclear how and when a new budget deal will be finalized.
Walz says only when the deal is completely set will he call a one-day special session so the legislature can vote on the budget and he can sign it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
14 minutes ago
- CBS News
Stockton City Council meeting ends with delay in city manager decision
Stocktonians were frustrated waiting nearly three hours for the regularly scheduled city council meeting to begin Tuesday, and those frustrations grew when city leaders opted to push the decision to appoint a new city manager further down the line. The closed session was hours long, but nothing came out of it. "Never seen such disrespect from the council or the mayor as far as their concern or lack of concern for the time and opinions of the citizens," said civilian Cynthia Gail Boyd. Several people were upset about not only the wait, but that the late start delayed important decisions, like who would be Stockton's new permanent city manager. In the city agenda, it was item 12.5 with a recommendation by city staff to extend interim City Manager Steve Colangelo. Ultimately, the agenda item was pulled just before 9 p.m. David Sengthay is against Colangelo's extension. "I think Will Crew should stay as the interim city manager. The search is still live," he said. "We do not need to go for somebody who is shrouded in controversy and has brought drama to city hall." Still, some were in support of Colangelo remaining. "He exemplifies the commitment that Stockton needs," said former Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva. Despite it all, some Stocktonians said they are fed up and frustrated with the way their local government is operating. "This is what we voted for?" asked another concerned citizen. Deputy City Manager Will Crew was appointed interim city manager back on July 29. He had been serving in that role since Saturday. Colangelo, if brought back as interim city manager and extended, would remain until at least November. If Colangelo's contract is extended, he could make just over $20,000 a month.
CNN
27 minutes ago
- CNN
Sonya Massey shooting prompts Illinois law requiring disclosure of police recruits' backgrounds
Illinois law now requires that prospective police officers approve the release of personal background records in response to last summer's shooting of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman, in her home by a sheriff's deputy who had responded to her call for help. Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed the legislation, which requires disclosure of everything from job performance reports to nonpublic settlement agreements. It resulted from indiscretions that came to light in the background of Sean Grayson, the ex-sheriff's deputy charged with first-degree murder in the case. Pritzker, surrounded by Massey's family in the state Capitol, said the first-in-the-nation law should serve as an example for other states as he let Massey's 'spirit guide us to action.' 'Our justice system needs to be built on trust,' the Democrat said. 'Communities should be able to trust that when they call the police to their home, the responding officer will be well-trained and without a history of bias or misconduct, and police officers should be able to trust that they are serving alongside responsible and capable individuals.' The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Doris Turner, a Springfield Democrat and friend of the Masseys, and Chicago Democratic Rep. Kam Buckner, who noted that Thursday marks the 117th anniversary of the three-day Race Riot in Springfield that led to the founding a year later of the NAACP. Massey, 36, was a single mother of two teenagers who had a strong religious faith and struggled with mental health issues. In the early morning of July 6, 2024, she called 911 to report a suspected prowler outside her home in the capital city of Springfield, 201 miles southwest of Chicago. Grayson and another deputy searched but found no one. Inside Massey's house, confusion over a pot of hot water Massey picked up and her curious response to Grayson — 'I rebuke you in the name of Jesus' — which the deputy said he took to mean she wanted to kill him, prompted him to fire on Massey, hitting her right below the eye. The 31-year-old Grayson was 14 months into his career as a Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy when he answered Massey's call. His arrest two weeks later prompted an examination of his record, which showed several trouble spots. In his early 20s, he was convicted of driving under the influence twice within a year, the first of which got him kicked out of the Army. He had four law enforcement jobs — mostly part-time — in six years. One past employer noted that he was sloppy in handling evidence and called him a braggart. Others said he was impulsive. Those seeking policing jobs must sign a waiver allowing past employers to release unredacted background materials, including job performance reports, physical and psychological fitness-for-duty reports, civil and criminal court records, and, even otherwise nonpublic documents such as nondisclosure or separation agreements. 'It isn't punitive to any police officer. The same kind of commonsense legislation needs to be done nationwide,' James Wilburn, Massey's father, said. 'People should not be able to go from department to department and their records not follow them.' The hiring agency may see the contents of documents sealed by court order by getting a judge's approval, and court action is available to compel a former employer to hand over records. 'Several departments need to pick up their game and implement new procedures, but what's listed here (in the law) is what should be minimally done in a background check,' said Kenny Winslow, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, who helped negotiate the proposal. Ironically, no. Most of what was revealed about Grayson after his arrest was known to Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell, who was forced to retire early because of the incident. Campbell was aware of Grayson's shortcomings and, as a result, made him repeat the state's 16-week police training course. Even an incident that didn't surface until six weeks after the shooting — a dash-cam video of Grayson, working as a deputy in a nearby county, ignoring an order to halt a high-speed chase and then hitting a deer with his squad car — would not have disqualified him, Campbell said at the time. 'We can't decide who they do or don't hire, but what we can do is put some parameters in place so that the information will be there and the right decision can be made,' Buckner said. Grayson, who also faces charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial in October. Publicity persuaded Judge Ryan Cadagin to move the proceeding from Springfield to Peoria, 73 miles to the north. The incident has garnered international news coverage, prompted activists' rallies, and led to a $10 million civil court settlement.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The snowy remote army base where Trump will host Putin for talks
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet on Friday at the remote Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a US military installation in Anchorage, Alaska. Elmendorf-Richardson combines the Air Force's Elmendorf base and the US Army's Fort Richardson. It is Alaska's largest military base and is home to more than 32,000 people - about 10% of Anchorage's population. Read more: The area is also significant for Russia: the US purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire 158 years ago. In fact, Alaska's Little Diomede Island is less than three miles from Russia's Big Diomede Island in the Bering Strait, showing how geographically close the two countries are. During the Cold War, the base was regarded as "particularly important" in defending the US against the then-Soviet Union, according to the Library of Congress. Despite this proximity, Putin will be the first Russian president to visit Anchorage. Some have criticised the US president's decision to hold talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict in Alaska. "It's easy to imagine Putin making the argument during his meetings with Trump that, 'Well, look, territories can change hands,'" said Nigel Gould-Davies, former British ambassador to Belarus. "'We gave you Alaska. Why can't Ukraine give us a part of its territory?'" Although this will be Trump's first trip to Alaska since beginning his second term, he made several visits to Elmendorf-Richardson during his first term. Joe Biden and Barack Obama also visited; in 2015, Obama became the first US president to set foot north of the Arctic Circle during his trip. Elmendorf-Richardson hosts aircraft like the F-22 Raptor - a fighter jet the Air Force says "cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft". The US defence department describes the area as having "picturesque, majestic, snow-capped mountains, lakes, rivers, glaciers, and plenty of wildlife". It also advises visitors attempting to drive to the base to bring emergency kits, food, blankets and extra fuel, as it is so remote.
