Prompted by the Texas shootings, Governor Mark Dayton is asking the Republican-controlled legislature to immediately approve funding to beef-up school safety, separate from a budget bill that’s still being negotiated. Dayton says, “This is too important an issue to play politics with. [It’s] the least we can do to commemorate the losses that yet another school has suffered.” Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says, “We’re trying to figure out whether it makes sense to do it today or just to do it two days from now, but either way, that always has been one of our highest priorities.”
Some are concerned school safety legislation could be a casualty if Republicans and Dayton can’t agree on a supplemental budget bill before Sunday’s midnight deadline.