Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon is addressing leaders of the Minnesota House of Representatives ahead of what could be a sour start to the session next week.
In a letter to Republican Lisa Demuth (Cold Spring) and Democrat Melissa Hortman (Brooklyn Park), Simon concluded that the Constitution and State Statute define the majority needed for a quorum in the House of Representatives as 68 members.
Simon's role in this, even though he's Secretary of State, is also laid out in the state constitution. Simon, a Democrat, will serve as the Speaker Pro Tempore (temporary speaker) until the House agrees on a speaker.
Republicans hold a 67-66 plurality ahead of a special election for a House seat on January 28 after a judge ruled that the Democrat who won in Roseville didn't actually live in that district and violated state law. The two House Leaders had discussed power-sharing following the election, assuming there would be a 67-67 tie.
Now the DFL has threatened to skip the session's opening day on Tuesday if House Republicans who hold that one seat plurality don't have a power sharing agreement even though they have the one-seat advantage after the residency issues in Roseville.
Simon adds that his role as a member of the executive branch is limited in convening the House of Representatives and presiding until a speaker is elected.