Governor Walz, Leader Gazelka, Speaker Hortman Provide Negotiations Update

As week two of the special legislative session began, Governor Tim Walz, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and House Speaker Melissa Hortman separately spoke to the media about the progress toward a new state budget. The media availabilities took place Monday, June 21, in various parts of the Minnesota State Capitol.

Governor Walz said that "the [June 30] deadline is real now," as the state continues the process of preparing for a government shutdown should a new state two-year budget fail to be enacted. He said that communication with people who receive state services and individuals who have reservations in state parks is underway. “This is closer than we’d like to be, and so we have to take precautionary measures,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Gazelka said that the process is "in earnest." Further, he noted passage today of the funding bills for Legacy and Higher Education which will be sent to the Governor. “It’s my commitment that we not get to July 1,” he said. “I just think that would be really bad for Minnesota.”

Legislative leaders stated that agreements are getting close in the more contentious areas: Health and Human Services, E-12 Education, Judiciary and Public Safety and State Government and Elections. According to Speaker Hortman, “It’s a little bit color by number at this point because… the goal is to have balance between getting Republican wins and Democratic wins, because we have divided government, and now we bring that down to each of the bills.”