The Speaker of Minnesota's DFL-controlled House of Representatives is confident that lawmakers will pass a budget and avoid a partial government shudown.
House Speaker Melissa Hortman told WCCO Radio's Adam Carter during the Morning News on Thursday that nine of the 14 budget bills are completely wrapped.
"Some of the budget bills are non-essential," Hortman said. "If we're not able to get an agreement on bonding bill with a minority in the House and the Senate, that's not a necessary bill. We're making really good progress on bills required to run the government."
Police reform remains a sticking point between House Democrats and Senate Republicans.
Among the issues at the forefront for DFL members are reforms around police worn body cameras, traffic stops, and sign and release warrants. Hortman said they would like to see families have the ability to review body camera footage quicker than allowed under current law.
"We're also controlled about traffic stops," she said. "We don't need law enforcement officers with lethal force to do equipment violations, things hanging from the mirror, and expired tabs. Maybe we can take some of that off of the plate of officers that we require to be trained to use deadly force."
The special session began Monday with Governor Tim Walz extending his emergency powers which began early on in the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota.
"The Governor needs these powers to continue this vaccination push," Hortman told Carter. "There are still communities in Minnesota where we haven't penetrated and we haven't gotten vaccines to all the people who want them and need them. We're at the point where the last bunch of people we need to get vaccinated, it's going to be more work for us."