Community Corner

MN Shutdown Roundup: GOP Says 'We Are Ready to Go'

The process of getting from a deal to a special session is underway.

Update July 18, 4:47 p.m.: A special session is imminent, according to Assistant Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel.

“I think we are ready to go. It’s time to get Minnesotans back to work,” Michel, a Republican who represents Edina and West Bloomington, told WCCO radio on Monday afternoon.

“It is up to the governor to decide that, though,” he said.

In one of Rep. Rick Hansen's (D-District 39A) regular email updates, he said Monday afternoon that the Environment bill was completed behind closed doors, and that the bonding bill, which will require a super majority to pass, was still being worked on.

Michel pointed to the release of preliminary versions of the Public Safety/Judiciary and Transportation bills as evidence of Monday's progress.

“I think there is more progress to talk about today,” Michel said. “(The two bills) are part of the framework that we talked about with the governor.”

Negotiators appropriated $4.7 billion for the Transportation bill and $1.9 billion for Public Safety/Judiciary for the next biennium.  

MPR News reported on Sunday evening that a handshake deal was reached on an $11 billion Health and Human Services bill, but that budget hasn’t been confirmed by representatives of either party.

Bills, as they are completed, will be posted on the House website.

Update July 17, 6:15 p.m.—Gov. Mark Dayton, House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch (R-Buffalo) report reaching “considerable progress” during weekend budget negotiations. The parties struck a positive tone with their joint statement, released at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.  

MPR News reported on Sunday evening that a handshake deal has been reached on an $11 billion Health and Human Services bill. But despite any supposed progress—and contrary to Dayton’s intent, the governor won’t call a special session on Monday morning.  

“Work on the detailed budget bills continues to move in a positive direction, with an urgent focus on getting Minnesotans back to work,” the joint statement read. “A special session will be called as soon as our work is completed, and all bills have been reviewed and agreed upon.”

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Update July 16, 9:39 p.m.: Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders remained locked in negotiations Saturday night after they failed to meet a 10 p.m. Friday deadline for having all budget bills in place.

The biggest sticking points remain the bills on Health and Human Services, K-12 education and state government.

But despite the complexity of those three bills, Taxes Committee Chair Sen. Julianne Ortman (R-Chanhassen) said Saturday's talks made “very good progress” compared to those on Friday.

After a short break in the afternoon, the Taxes Committee reconvened at 5 p.m.

The aim, Rep. Linda Runbeck (R-Circle Pines) said, was to present a finished bill to the governor as quickly as possible. “We’re making progress. It’s all down to small details,” Runbeck said before returning to the negotiations.  

Capital Investment Committee Chair David Senjem also reported progress on the $500 million bonding package, which was a condition of the governor’s acceptance of the GOP budget Thursday.  “We are 80 to 90 percent of the way there,” Senjem told reporters Saturday.  

Legislative leaders gave no indication of how long they would meet.

Dayton has maintained all along that he will only call a special session once negotiations are finished and he approves the bills. The shutdown will end once the bills are signed.

To read previous updates, visit ;

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