(UPDATED-Day 17) Legislative Leaders Hammer Out the Details of the End Of the Shutdown

Updated: Sunday, 6:15 p.m. — Gov. Mark Dayton, House Speaker Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch (R-Buffalo) report reaching “considerable progress” during weekend budget negotiations. The parties struck a positive tone with their joint statement, released at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.  

MPR News reported on Sunday evening that a handshake deal has been reached on an $11 billion Health and Human Services bill. But despite any supposed progress—and contrary to Dayton’s intent, the governor won’t call a special session on Monday morning.  

“Work on the detailed budget bills continues to move in a positive direction, with an urgent focus on getting Minnesotans back to work,” the joint statement read. “A special session will be called as soon as our work is completed, and all bills have been reviewed and agreed upon.”

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Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders remained locked in negotiations Saturday after they failed to meet a 10 p.m. Friday deadline for having all budget bills in place.

The biggest sticking points remain the bills on Health and Human Services, K-12 education and state government.

But despite the complexity of those three bills, Taxes Committee Chair Sen. Julianne Ortman (R-Chanhassen) said today’s talks made “very good progress” compared to those on Friday.

After a short break Saturday afternoon, the Taxes Committee reconvened at 5 p.m.

The aim, Rep. Linda Runbeck (R-Circle Pines) said, was to present a finished bill to the governor as quickly as possible. “We’re making progress. It’s all down to small details,” Runbeck said before returning to the negotiations.  

Capital Investment Committee Chair David Senjem also reported progress on the $500 million bonding package, which was a condition of the governor’s acceptance of the GOP budget Thursday.  “We are 80 to 90 percent of the way there,” Senjem told reporters Saturday afternoon.  

Legislative leaders gave no indication of how long they would meet Saturday night.

Dayton has maintained all along that he would only call a special session once negotiations are finished and he approves the bills. The shutdown will end once the bills are signed.

Follow the latest shutdown developments:

July 17: 

July 14: 

July 13: Government Shutdown Means Development Slowdown

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July 5: Dayton, Republican Lawmakers Meet After A 'Breather,' But The Shutdown Continues

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July 3: Winkler Says Legislators Will Move To The Middle—Eventually

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July 1: Golden Valley Legislators Frustrated by Minnesota Shutdown

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June 29: 

June 28: 

June 23: 

June 17: 

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