Minnesota lawmakers are still at work trying to finalize details of the nearly $67 billion budget with tension growing. But this one comes with a twist. That tension is not between the parties - but within the parties.
DFL State Senator Ann Rest (New Hope) got into it with some DFL State Representatives during a tax conference committee.
"The Senate is accepting your offer, one would think that the House would vote for their own offer," Rest announced in the meeting. "All those in favor, please say aye. Oppose say no."
That was followed by a quick "no" from some in the DFL prompting a curt "the motion fails," from Rest who added, "Let it be known to our leaders that the House cannot even accept their own proposal. Now we will take a recess."
The back-and-forth inside the parties comes as Minnesota legislative leaders met with Governor Tim Walz (DFL) Tuesday afternoon trying to finalize details of a new $67 billion budget.
DFL House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman (Brooklyn Park) spoke on her way into the meeting, telling reporters, "We're going to wrap things up this week."
That timing is crucial. If the legislature fails to create a balanced budget, state government could shut down July 1, which has not happened since 2011. June 1 is when the state will have to starting sending out layoff notices to portions of the government that would no longer be funded.
One of the issues still not resolved is a plan to allow only undocumented children to have access to health care through a state run program, removing that health care from undocumented adults. Several lawmakers were making their voices heard outside the Governor's office.
"If he goes back on his promises around immigrants, what else is he going to go back on," asked one legislator.
Meanwhile, Working groups at the state capitol are back to work Wednesday as they try and get the final pieces of the budget puzzle solved. At that point, Governor Walz would be able to call a special session and get the legislative work done.
Undocumented health care still an issue
Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth (Cold Spring) told Tom Hauser on the WCCO Morning News that ending undocumented immigrant adult access to state health insurance is still very much a part of the path moving forward.
"We have the votes in the House," Demuth says. "I can tell you we have the votes in the House to be able to pass that. Yes, we do."
"But in the Senate, that could be more difficult," Hauser asked.
"In the Senate, obviously, that is managing a different body and so I can't speak for them," Demuth adds. "But part of the global agreement that was reached, was that this would happen. So this is part of the agreement. We're not going back on it."
Governor Walz is expected to make an appearance in Jordan, Minnesota later on Wednesday morning and could have more to say about the ongoing negotiations. But lawmakers in those working groups have also been given until 7:00 tonight to get their work done otherwise Walz and legislative leaders will work out a deal without final say from those groups.
"I don't want it to have to come to the, you know, the governor and the three leaders that are in the room," Demuth told WCCO. "I don't want it to come to that, but what we will do is, if there are a few things left to be kind of wrapped up, we're going to take the work that has been done by the committees, by the working groups, and use that to inform how to wrap up the last few things."
Senate Minority Leader is still absent
The three leaders Demuth references are Sen. Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL- St. Paul), Hortman and herself - notably absent again is Republican Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mark Johnson (East Grand Forks). He hasn’t been invited to meet with the other leaders in five days and Johnson has said he isn't in agreement with the compromises struck between the other leaders.
"Well, they made a deal, he didn't sign the deal and so I think they're trying to work out the deals between these folks," says WCCO political analyst Blois Olson. "If these working groups don't have the deals worked out by 7:00 tonight, then leadership will just cut the deal for the working group or conference committee.
Olson says if that happens, there are other issues that will go by the wayside.
"One of the big ones that they do need Mark Johnson and Republicans in the Senate to vote for is bonding, and I know (Sen.) Karen Housley (Stillwater) is optimistic they could get it done," Olson adds. "But if they're not including Republicans now, Republicans are going to be far less likely to vote for any sort of bonding bill, which they need two-thirds of the vote for."