With big issues like a bonding bill and Hennepin County Medical Center’s potential closure, lawmakers will have their hands full in the final weeks of 2026 legislative session.
WCCO Radio political analyst and host of "Sunday Take", Blois Olson, spoke recently with both Republican and Democratic leaders at a business breakfast about the most pressing matters at hand,
One of the biggest hurdles to clear by the end of the session is getting a tax bill passed.
"There's a chance that we're gonna get that done this year," Republican Senate Minority leader Mark Johnson (East Grand Forks) told Olson. "But at this point, what is happening over in the house, we just don't have a good feel from the Senate side of things what's going to be actually possible to get through the House. And what's going to be possible to get through the Senate at this point."
DFL State Representative Jaime Long has a more positive view of where it stands though.
"I know that Chair (Greg) Davids (R-Preston) and Chair (Aisha) Gomez (DFL-Minneapolis) have been having good conversations around that proposal," Long adds.
They both say they are hopeful to pass a tax bill that include a measure to help fund the financially struggling Hennepin Healthcare.
The hospital system, which is the state's premier level one trauma center, says unless the state helps provide new funding, they will end up closing. And that would create a massive trickle-down issue for other metro-area hospitals.
"HCMC is a very high priority for us, but it's not as simple as it sounds," Assistant Majority Leaders in the Senate, Nick Frentz (DFL-Mankato) explains. "I come from about 90 miles southwest of here. Two hospitals in my immediate area are going under, and so the ballpark tax was sold to Greater Minnesota Twin season ticket holders. We're going to pay for the stadium, and then the tax will go off. Now we're hearing about a sales tax increase."
He called the tax regressive, and says it would hurt those in his community.
Last week, Gov. Tim Walz officially met with legislative leaders for the first time, their first real negotiating session since the gaveled-in in January. Those negotiations will become crucial as the deadline for getting a bonding bill through approaches, with the DFL holding a one-seat majority in the Senate, and a 67-67 tie in the House.
Olson adds that despite needing to get a lot more done, there is no sign of a deadlock or a need for any special session talk.
"I mean, they're starting to compare bills. I think behind the scenes omnibus bills will begin to move to the House and the Senate this week," Olson says. "They're smaller, they're very policy focused, and then they'll go into conference committee. But we're on track to finish on time, the train still hasn't fallen off the tracks, and we know that has to happen before we can get a deal."
The session ends on May 18.
