Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth (Cold Spring) is sharing some growing frustration over the budget stalemate that continues to grind on, as a special session has yet to be called.
Demuth says that Governor Tim Walz's (DFL) priorities are contributing to delays as Minnesota approaches a July 1 government shutdown.
"The governor has said that there's certain priorities that he's had that have to do with sustainable aviation fuel and data centers and a few different things," Demuth told WCCO. "We know that maybe those aren't reflected in the bills that have come forward so far. Maybe some more work has to be done on some of those issues. Is it a true sticking point? I'm not sure, but some of those priorities, as I heard them, aren't making their way through."
Demuth added that a special session is still "a few days out" despite the need for a swift, one-day session to avoid a government shutdown. State employees are already getting layoff notices this week.
This Wednesday was the day that lawmakers had targeted for the special session to finish up work on the budget - but clearly that's not panning out. Demuth says they are still working on it.
"The working groups, you know, formerly known as conference committees, they've really done a lot of hard, good work and compromise all the way around," Demuth explains. "Am I frustrated? A little bit."
However, there may be some movement according to WCCO Radio political analyst Blois Olson who talked Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News early Wednesday.
"And their insight last night was the soonest we would meet would be the weekend," Olson said. "And (Republican Senate Minority Leader) Mark Johnson is back in conversations about a deal with the governor and other legislative leaders."
Negotiations will continue Wednesday on another major sticking point, the bonding bill in addition to what has become an unpopular tax bill. Olson has described the situation as "whack-a-mole," with issues arising as soon as leaders think they have a bill ready.
Walz is scheduled to meet with legislative leaders around 12:30 p.m. To get a bonding bill through, Democrats in the Senate will need Republicans on board. That means compromise.
"I think this will focus on what will Republicans in the Senate get in policy and in other issues if they agree to pass a bonding bill,"Olson adds. "I think that's today's negotiation."
When the session came to a close on May 19, a press conference with the Governor, House Leaders and the Senate Majority Leader expressed optimism that a deal was ready, they just needed to tie up the loose ends and vote in a one-day special session. Over two weeks later, it appears that deal is no closer to getting done.