As state budget talks continue before Monday’s expected special session, Governor Tim Walz tells Minnesota News Network the message to negotiators is, “If you’re not done by five o’clock today (Wed), we’re gonna bring in these conference committees in front of leadership and we’re just gonna hash out compromises…. We’ve been asking these folks to do that. The next process will be basically 24/7 ’til Monday to try and work out the bills that aren’t done.”
The governor says four or five budget bills are done, many of them are “really close” to agreement, and even some of the bigger ones are “pretty close,” like K-12 and health-and-human services. But Walz acknowledges the public safety bill, stalemated over police reform other issues, is “not there yet.”
Senate Republican leaders haven’t been reachable for comment.