Dayton calls Special Session for today

Posted at 11:00 AM on July 19, 2011 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton announced just moments ago that he's calling a special session for 3pm today.

The Legislature will act quickly to take up nine budget bills and a bonding bill. The state government shutdown will end as soon as Gov. Dayton signs the bills into law.

"We worked very hard literally around the clock for the last four days and nights," Dayton said.

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers says lawmakers will work as quickly as possible to get the budget bills passed.

"I would say it's better to get people back to work than talk about a bill," Zellers said.

Dayton said he's hopeful some agencies can start operating by tomorrow.

"I'll sign them all as they come through," Dayton said, "Minnesota will be officially lights on."

Dayton and the Republican controlled Legislature have been at odds over the best way to craft a two year budget. They reached agreement last week to erase a $5 billion budget deficit by using a mix of spending cuts, a payment delay to schools and borrowing against future tobacco payments and spending cuts.

The budget deal would end the longest government shutdown in state history.

Comments (7)

Any idea where we can see what's IN the bills? Or some reporting on what is different? Pension bill? Government Innovation, which the chair was trying to stack with reforms? Education has some tough stuff in it, what about the others.

Posted by kathie | July 19, 2011 11:50 AM

The budget bills are posted here:
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ss2011/

Posted by Sharon | July 19, 2011 1:55 PM

The budget bills are being posted here:
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ss2011/

Posted by Sharon | July 19, 2011 1:56 PM

I hope Dayton and his staff read those bills very very carefully before signing them. I wouldn't put it past the Republicans to try to use dirty tricks to sneak stuff into the bills that wasn't agreed to before.

Posted by Jamie | July 19, 2011 2:32 PM

Where is the outrage??!!!

I thought we elected Representatives and Senators to work for us. Instead, I find that 5 powerfull politicians met in a back room and invented the state budget out of whole cloth. Then they will let the legislature rubber stamp this travesty.

What kind of government is this? The agreement reads like this:
--- Rules of the Senate and House are suspended
--- The Minnesota Constitution is suspended
--- 12 bills will be passed as follows
... Bills placed before the body on 3rd reading (no public hearings, no committee meetings)
... No ammendments permitted
... No other votes permitted
... No other bills permitted

Only in utter dictatorships would legislation like this ever take place.

Welcome to the United Soviet Socialist State of Minnesota.

What a SHAME

Posted by Mike | July 19, 2011 2:34 PM

Add to the outrage:

The session will only last two days.

6 of the bills have been made public, but the Taxes, K-12 Education, HHS, and Bonding bills are still hidden.

Sure, I get it. Uncles mike, Kurt, Tom, Paul, and Aunt Amy know what is best for all us little folks in the state, and they are going to ensure their colleagues that WE ELECTED dont make mistakes.

Posted by Mike | July 19, 2011 2:39 PM

I think we should still fire them for not getting along in the first place. They have added more state workers to the unemployment line and labor pool, who have gone three weeks without incomes. They should try getting hired like some are for the last 5 years and are finding nothing. They claim they are "Working hard", we will be the judge of that.
You are what people say you are not what you pr machine says.
Go Read Og Mandino books until the cows come home.
Working hard taking casino money under the table, that's why Minnesota not state run casino's, probably like gov. tim. Breaks my heart too see that adults can't get it together to get the job done, I run a business sign business labor intensive do all cold calling and looking for a job. I would know what its like to budget.

Posted by kay | July 19, 2011 3:04 PM

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