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Minnesota legislator: special session "very, very likely" as budget talks move slowly
Summary
A Minnesota legislator said a special legislative session is "very, very likely if not inevitable" as budget negotiations continue slowly; the lawmaker cited the need to balance the budget without overworking staff and said negotiators expect to work through the weekend.
A Minnesota legislator said a special legislative session is "very, very likely if not inevitable" as negotiators continue slow work to balance the state budget, during a short question-and-answer exchange.
The legislator, identified in the transcript as "Respondent, Legislator," said, "We're making progress. It's slow as I've said every single day, but we are making progress. And there is a real will, to get this done." The same speaker added later, "I really appreciate that. I think at this point, it is really difficult, to get done and do the work in the way we need to. So, yes, I think a special session is very, very likely if not inevitable. Yes."
Why it matters: The exchange centers on the status of negotiations to balance Minnesota's budget ahead of an apparent May 19 deadline referenced in the questioning. The legislator emphasized concern for staff workload and the quality of work, saying, "we do our best work if we get some sleep, and we need to do good work for the people of Minnesota." That comment framed the speaker's reluctance to push staff to meet a hard deadline at the expense of rest.
In the exchange, a questioner asked whether negotiators expect to work through the weekend; the legislator replied, "Yeah. We'll be working all weekend." The legislator also described the negotiations as similar to a family balancing a budget and said the parties have differing priorities they are working through.
No formal action or vote was recorded in the transcript. The remarks are limited to the speaker's description of the negotiation pace and prospects; there was no statement in the transcript that a special session had been scheduled or formally called.
Contextual details recorded in the transcript include the legislator mentioning personal plans and staff-rest considerations: the speaker said they are "planning a trip with my family to Ireland in the summer" and that their puppy, Winnie, "turns 1 year on Saturday," comments given while discussing the importance of rest for staff.
The transcript shows a short back-and-forth with an unnamed questioner who asked whether a special session was likely and what was holding talks up. The legislator described the work as "balancing the budget" with "different perspectives and priorities" and said negotiators "are working our way through that as we would in a family budget."
Taper: The transcript does not record any formal scheduling, vote, or deadline beyond references to May 19 and the speaker's view that a special session is likely if negotiators cannot complete the work in the current schedule.
