It was a late night and early morning in the Minnesota Senate. They adjourned around 5:30 Thursday morning.
Senate Minority leader Mark Johnson (R- East Grand Forks) told Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News that about nine hours were spent on the Judiciary and Public Safety Budget Bill.
"We were able to bring it to the floor and I'll give credit to Senator (Ron) Latz (DFL- St. Louis Park) on taking a number of suggestions, suggestions that Republicans had," explained Johnson. "And so we got a bill that actually was pretty bipartisan coming off the floor with about 40 votes overall. So, that took a lot of time to get that off."
As for what's left before Monday's adjournment, Johnson says sports betting appears to be headed for a choppy waters and he's not hopeful that it will pass this session.
"At this point, it would be a very precarious path forward for it to actually survive," predicts Johnson. "But I'm not counting it out. It is getting more and more difficult as the hours tick by so we'll see what it looks like tomorrow. What the path looks like tomorrow. But I'm not very hopeful for that bill."
OTHER LEGISLATIVE ACTION
They will not be in session on Thursday which will leave just three days - Saturday, Sunday and Monday - to get their work done. They can technically work until 7:00 a.m. Monday.
WCCO Political Analyst Blois Olson says they're moving policy bills in addition to working on the bigger bonding bill which needs bipartisan support. Because the state is taking on debt, the passage of a bonding bill requires a 60% vote in the House and Senate to pass.
"Yesterday they passed an education bill that requires schools to have cell phone policies," says Olson. "Republicans are criticizing it because it has more mandates."
Still sitting out there is a need for a global deal on bonding. Olson says that if that's going to get done, it needs to make progress Thursday.
"As we've said, there are so many bills that need bipartisan support, the Republicans have a lot of leverage. We've also said nothing absolutely has to get done for state government to work this year, and so there is still a scenario where bonding, Uber-Lyft, and some of this other bills fall by the wayside and don't get done."
Speaking of Uber and Lyft, that bill is scheduled for Friday on the House floor. That deal is vehemently opposed by both the rideshare giants who say the deal struck between the legislature and Minneapolis City Council is too expensive and will force them to leave the Twin Cities.
SENATOR NICOLE MITCHELL
Also on Wednesday, Senate Republicans tried again to expel DFL State Senator Nicole Mitchell (Woodbury) who is facing charges of first degree burglary after allegedly breaking into her stepmothers' home.
Republicans have made other attempts but those have failed. The case is still pending with the Ethics Subcommittee, which plans to resume its hearing June 12 after Sen. Mitchell’s next court appearance.
"We can continue to try to hide behind the interpretation of rules, or we can simply do what's right, and hold someone accountable, and uphold the integrity of the institution Mr. President," says Republican State Senator Zach Duckworth (Lakeville) who spoke in favor of a vote to expel Mitchell right now.
The criminal complaint says Mitchell was found in the basement of her stepmother's home just before 5:00 a.m. Monday wearing all black clothing and a black hat.
In a Facebook post, Mitchell denied stealing and says she was checking on a loved one with Alzheimer's.
