Legislative leaders and Capitol watchers by and large acknowledge that finishing the legislative session by Monday’s constitutional deadline is out of reach. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake) had this to say on the matter: “We are trying to get done on the 17th, but we know there’s another date out there that we could be aiming for. We’ll have to see.”

The “other date” he is referring to? That would be June 14, the next time Gov. Walz would need to call the Legislature back into special session to extend his emergency powers.

Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) likewise noted the June 14 date when she said, “What I’m driving toward is making sure every single thing we can wrap up by Monday is wrapped up and done, and everything we can have wrapped up and ready to go on Monday, June 14, is ready to go.”

Further, from Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent (DFL-Woodbury), “I have been here long enough to never make plans for early June … I am ready. I just know we’re still going to have work to do in June, and I’m ready to do it.”

Legislative leaders have also acknowledged that private negotiations are happening. The content and nature of these negotiations are obscured by the lack of budget offers made public by either side and the media’s lack of access to lawmakers this session. Even rank-and-file legislators seem befuddled, with Rep. Cedric Frazier (DFL-New Hope) channeling the feelings of many by paraphrasing a constituent who asked about the Legislature, “What the hell is going on?”

Many of the issues noted in last week’s legislative session update, such as police reform and the Walz Administration’s Clean Car Rule, continue to be items of contention. One thing that is in slightly clearer focus is the fact that the state received further guidance this week on the use of the federal American Rescue Plan funds. While the guidance is helpful, it does not provide definitive answers on exactly how the money should be spent or who gets to decide on how to spend it.

As always, CGMC will continue to track what is going on at the Legislature and work toward good outcomes for Greater Minnesota.