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Monday is adjournment day for the 2025 Minnesota legislative session, but lawmakers aren’t done with their work just yet and won’t be by midnight. 

Leaders expect to roll straight into a special session — with the hopes of wrapping up a new budget before Memorial Day. State lawmakers chipped away at their to-do list over the weekend in a Capitol lacking the usual intensity to beat the clock. 

The roadmap for a session finish was finally laid out late last week, but that framework left a lot to be filled in and ignited opposition that the deal’s architects have had to smooth over.

“This my 18th session. I think this has been the most difficult session I’ve ever been a part of, from the very beginning,” Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, a St. Paul Democrat, said on TPT’s “Almanac” on Friday.

The politically divided Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz came to agreement on how much money to spend for all the different state budgets, an overall plan that is on track to add up to about $67 billion over two years.  

There was a light bustle in the halls of the Capitol on Sunday as lawmakers shuffled from conference committee meetings to floor sessions. 

Some policy bills were voted through as were the smaller of the budget proposals. Negotiators were still working to lock in agreements on the main components, from health care to education.

Among those items to get sent to Walz over the weekend was a bill that sets harsher penalties for drunk driving and promotes the use of interlock systems in vehicles for offenders with multiple DWIs.

“It was born of tragedy in St. Louis Park, and hopefully will prevent, or take steps toward preventing future similar tragedies,” said Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park.

A bill that makes changes to Minnesota’s existing cannabis market regulation also advanced. It would allow testing facilities to begin testing during the accreditation process.

Rep. Nolan West, a Republican who has supported the move toward full legalization, still took a swipe at Minnesota’s slow-to-get-going marijuana program. 

“It’s like trying to run Amazon out of an Etsy store with three inspectors checking the doilies for antitrust violations,” West said during House floor consideration. “We're inching closer to a legal, safe and tested market thanks to this bill.”

A few but not all conference committees met. Bills were then ping-ponging between the House and Senate. 

One big sticking point that could gum up the conclusion involves health care. 

The leadership plan would undo MinnesotaCare health insurance for adult immigrants who don’t have legal status. The agreement would allow children to continue on MinnesotaCare. 

Rep. Sandra Feist, DFL-New Brighton, gave a nod to undocumented immigrants when she spoke in favor of passing the agriculture budget bill. 

“I was not going to speak on this bill. I do support this bill. I just thought this might be an opportunity, a moment to remind the body that 40 percent of farm workers are undocumented immigrants,” she said. “They play a really critical role in the farming industry.”

The measure could eke through in the House if all Republicans and at least one Democrat endorse the deal. 

But ending health care for undocumented immigrants could be an even bigger challenge in the Senate where Democrats have just a one-seat majority — and no firm assurances from Republicans that they’ll put up votes to pass any of the big budget bills. 

A solid core of the Senate DFL is outright opposed and even more-moderate Democrats like Sen. Judy Seeberger of Afton suggested they weren’t in favor of ending the coverage — a DFL initiative that was passed just a couple years ago. 

“I believe that undocumented folks should be, are entitled to the same access to health care that all the rest of us are,” Seeberger said. “So no, I do not support that at all.”

The bumpy ending is a fitting bookend to a session where

From a tied Senate at the beginning due to a senator’s death, to a tied House now that got down to business many weeks into the year, it’s been rocky throughout. A senator also resigned this year after being arrested and charged in a prostitution sting.

The overall 101 Democrats and 100 Republicans now in place make it the tightest split on record.

Murphy, the Senate leader, has her work cut out for her to get to the end. She faces a revolt in her caucus over a deal she signed her name to.

Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth doesn’t have an easy task either.

By nature of the House tie, bipartisan backing is needed for anything and everything to pass.

So as lawmakers reached what they thought would be the end, now the question is whether they can clear the final obstacles and when. Only then can they break for home.

Barring another special session this year, the Legislature is scheduled to convene again for its next run on Feb. 17.

Clay Masters

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Peter Cox

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A woman stands in front of a U.S. and Minnesota state flag

A ‘last day’ arrives for Minnesota lawmakers that will be anything but a conclusion

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