Walz Considers Special Session After Lawmakers Blow Deadline

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz said early Monday that he wants to call a short special session after the divided Minnesota Legislature blew a deadline for passing a package of tax cuts and new spending using the state’s massive budget surplus.

“We’re about 90 to 95% of the way there,” Walz told reporters after the deadline of 11:59 p.m. Sunday passed. “You don’t get the ball to the 1-yard line and then go home. You finish the job that Minnesotans expect us to do.”

The Democratic governor planned to meet later Monday with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller and Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman to discuss whether lawmakers can find ways to bridge their differences. The three leaders agreed last week on a broad framework that called for $4 billion in tax relief, $4 billion in spending and banking $4 billion. But filling in the details before the deadline proved to be more than divided lawmakers could manage.

State government will continue functioning through June 2023 even without a special session. The Legislature passed a two-year budget last year — after a special session.

But absent agreement on terms for reconvening, Minnesotans won’t get tax cuts. No major steps will be taken to fight crime. There will be no extra money for schools and social programs such as child care. There will be no public works package, known as a bonding bill. And Minnesota will walk away from millions of federal transportation dollars that require state matching funds.

Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, told reporters early Monday that a few bills were “very close” and that House Democrats are ready “to come back and get the work done.” She said she’d like the governor to call the special session for this week, before the Memorial Day weekend.

“I think there’s a relatively brief window of time within which we need to have an agreement that makes sense to come in and finish up,” Hortman said. “And I think all of the bills are close enough that that could be within a day or two, if there’s a sincere desire and commitment on all parties to come to the table and finish it up.”

Miller, of Winona, was unenthusiastic about a special session but didn’t rule it out. He expressed less optimism than Hortman about the prospect for quick deals. And he said waiting until next session to allocate the money — after a midterm election in which Democrats are facing stiff headwinds — remains an option.

“We’re always happy to listen,” Miller told reporters. “But the reality is, the deadline was midnight. And that deadline has come and gone.”

Monday is the official final day of the 2022 legislative session, but under the rules all legislation had to clear both the House and Senate before the end of the day Sunday. So the only business either chamber could conduct Monday was ceremonial, such as retirement speeches.