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A power-sharing agreement in the tied Minnesota House and a narrow Democratic edge in the Senate will be put to the test this week as the Legislature searches for a budget agreement in the homestretch of the session.

Final negotiations are starting to play out even as the respective House and Senate budget bills come up for floor votes this week and early next week. The final plan is likely to approach $66 billion for the next two years, smaller than the budget in place now but also accounting for a possible falloff in federal funding for some programs.

There are already signs that things could get choppy in the House, split 67 to 67 between Democrats and Republicans.

On Friday, debate over a public safety plan got sidetracked because of a GOP amendment that would have required more state participation in immigration enforcement. It failed on a tie vote — all Republicans were in favor and all DFLers opposed — but Democrats said the move to force that vote violated a power-sharing promise about which items get consideration.

By virtue of holding the speaker’s chair, Republicans charged ahead. Some evoked a memory of the 2024 session when Democrats with full control passed a 1,400 page bill in the final hours over their objections. 

“What the 94th session of the House learned from the 93rd session of the House is whoever is sitting up on that dais makes the rules,” said Rep. Walter Hudson, R-Albertville. “We saw it time and time again!”

Hudson’s remarks led to a fiery response from across the aisle. 

“You guys are upset that you think we didn't follow the rules and your takeaway is that the rules don't apply to anybody?” Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, asked. “Is that really how we want to live in this chamber — that there are no rules?”

The biggest budgets are for health and social safety net programs and for public education but all of the bills have dozens of programs to work through. That creates lots of potential pinch points. 

This is not the first time Gov. Tim Walz has had to deal with a split Legislature, but he'll have to use some muscle memory here. 

He addressed a joint session of the Legislature last week, spending part of his time calling for compromise and part slamming President Donald Trump’s administration. That didn’t land well with Republicans.

“We’ve been seeing that the governor is constantly talking about the federal policies that he believes are coming,” said Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks. “The reality is we need to be focused on the state of Minnesota. For the last two years Republicans have been cut out of the room.”

“It’s pretty damn naive for a group of folks who spent four years yelling at Joe Biden even though he was doing things that were growing the economy,” Walz said the day after his State of the State speech. “I talk about working together here. They need to focus on what's happening here and get this work done." 

There are programs and funding items that Republicans view as bargaining chips.

Republicans want to roll back a lot of the things Democrats put in place. That includes repealing laws that allow immigrants living in the state without documentation to access health care benefits in Minnesota Care. Republicans also want to delay the launch of Minnesota’s paid family and medical leave program which is set to start in January.

There are also numerous requirements imposed on schools Republicans would like to do away with. One deals with unemployment benefits for temporary or seasonal workers, such as lunchroom staff or school bus drivers. 

Democrats don't think those should be bargained away but nothing is locked in just yet. 

“As long as I am a legislator, I will use the power I have, and I will push my caucus to use the power we have to ensure we are not cutting workers out,” said Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis. 

While the House is tied, there’s not much room for DFLers in the Senate either.

Voters in Senate District 6 will decide who fills the seat that was held by former Sen. Justin Eichorn who faces solicitation of a minor charges in federal court. He resigned.

The district includes Crow Wing County and the Brainerd Lakes area and favors Republicans.

The GOP candidate is Keri Heintzeman, a longtime political organizer and business owner. She’s also married to Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, who serves in the House. The Democrat is Denise Slipy who is an environmental health and safety expert and first responder.

No matter what, Democrats will keep the majority after the election, but it will determine whether there is one or two vote cushion for them as the session moves into its final three weeks.

Clay Masters

Author

Republicans and Democrats must find compromises as they craft a new state budget, with long debates and a bundle of votes awaiting.

A divided Legislature looks for compromises as Minnesota session turns toward finish

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