Minnesota Lawmakers Race Against Time to Avoid Government Shutdown
Minnesota lawmakers are in a frantic bid to finalize the state budget ahead of a looming deadline. With a government shutdown set to potentially take effect on July 1, Governor Tim Walz’s office announced that most state employees face layoff notices next Monday if a special session to approve budget plans does not conclude by then.
Walz is refraining from officially reconvening lawmakers until all outstanding bills are fully prepared. Since the close of the regular session on May 20, legislators have been engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations. Key lawmakers have formed "working groups" to hammer out the details of unfinished bills, including a crucial K-12 spending plan, with progress posted on the Legislature’s website.
If an agreement isn’t reached by the end of the month, state services will face partial shutdowns, as some budget components, such as funding for the courts, attorney general’s office, agriculture, and veterans departments, were approved earlier. Employees in these areas will remain safe from layoffs.
The last government shutdown occurred in 2011, and lawmakers barely averted a similar fate in 2021 with a last-minute budget deal. DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy expressed hope for a special session this week, although deadlines have repeatedly been missed in recent weeks.
A contentious issue remains unresolved: the proposed removal of undocumented immigrant adults from a state health care program, provoking dissent among DFL lawmakers. Murphy advocates for it to be a standalone bill, while GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth prefers its inclusion in a broader health package.
With the clock ticking, the pressure mounts for lawmakers to find common ground to safeguard state services and avoid a government crisis.
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