30-05-2025
Evasive budget deal draws closer for Minnesota lawmakers: What to know
The Brief
Legislators missed at least their fourth budget deadline in the last two weeks on Thursday, but with some tangible progress starting to come to light.
Finalized environment and commerce bills got public viewing on Thursday, while transportation and education bills also sounded complete, but the details were mostly kept private.
Gov. Walz met again with legislative leaders and chairs of committees, still without agreements. Leadership predicted a full agreement soon and a special session sometime next week.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Another day, another missed deadline at the Minnesota Capitol.
Budget negotiations pushed past an 11 a.m. goal, but there are signs of progress.
From behind closed doors
After 10 days of private conversations, an environment bill emerged Thursday.
"This bill, I think we all recognize, is a compromise," said Rep. Josh Heintzeman (DFL-Nisswa), House co-chair on environment.
The final bill includes making the bass season all year long, and it claws back some of the restrictions on selling products with PFAS, allowing the forever chemicals in children's ATVs and snowmobiles, at least until 2032. "In a perfect world, there would have been no changes," said Avonna Starck, state director for Clean Water Action, which worked with Amara Strande's family to pass the PFAS ban – known as Amara's Law – in 2023. "And implementation would have moved forward. But at the end of the day, this protects it from future carve-outs."
A compromise and a rift
A transportation bill is also done, although its elements haven't become public.
Sources from the working groups tell FOX 9 it includes funding for a study on using autonomous lawnmowers along state highways, and for a new State Patrol compromise reveals a rift that came to the surface on Thursday over a borrowing bill for statewide infrastructure – a bill that now seems unlikely to pass this year.
But leaders say only a few sticking points are left to resolve in the global budget.
"Probably less than a handful of things spread out over two or three of the other areas," said Gov. Tim Walz. "So, they've worked really hard."
"I think the things that are still open and need some attention are health and human services and taxes," said Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul).
What else is left?
Leaders may also need to negotiate through a hangup over mandating surveillance cameras in daycare centers, and a labor dispute over changing the ban on non-compete clauses.
But they're starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.
"Getting this thing wrapped up sooner rather than later is always the goal, but I still am incredibly optimistic," said Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring). "Nothing is completely stuck or shut down."
But one is real
At least four deadlines have passed in the last two weeks, but June 30 is the real, hard one that precedes a government shutdown.
Leaders believe they can be done in plenty of time.
Their latest prediction is a special session starting sometime next week.
