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There are signs the budget logjam is breaking at the Minnesota State Capitol, as some of the budget bills are beginning to advance.
The Senate approved the Ag budget bill by a wide margin on Tuesday, after it was approved by the House last Saturday. It is heading to the governor.
Better news is that some of the policy hangups that have tied up legislation are beginning to ease. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka indicated Monday that Republicans are giving up on their insistence that Gov. Tim Walz halts the clean car rules. Republicans had threatened to halt the state environment budget bill. This bill funds state parks and without a bill, the parks would have had to shut down just before Independence Day. Gazelka and Republicans are satisfied with a promise that the new rules won’t go into effect until 2024, making it a campaign issue.
And according to Minnesota Public Radion, House Speaker Melissa Hortman thinks Gov. Walz will agree to relinquishing his COVID-19 emergency powers to get the budget passed before June 30.
It has been evident throughout the regular session and the special session that the budget issues have depended on policy questions rather than fiscal questions. The state is swimming in funds for the moment, and there’s no reason a decent budget couldn’t be agreed on, except for the policy issues.
The Legislature needs to wrap this up before this time next week.These developments offer hope that it can happen.
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