At the Capitol: Minnesota Lawmakers Return for Special Session

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Matt Steele

On Monday, June 14, Governor Walz called a special session to finalize and pass a two-year state budget. At the outset of the special session, only a few committees had publicly announced their joint agreements with the remaining budget areas having until June 30 to finalize unresolved details to avoid a state government shutdown. Here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week:

Where things are
Since last week, in addition to agreements on Commerce and Energy, Legacy, and Higher Education, the chairs of the Tax and Agriculture committees also publicly announced a budget agreement. Legislative leadership states that they are very close to finalizing several other budget areas, but little is known about what remains undecided. In addition, there has not been public agreement on any of the policy provisions key to passing the overall budget. The Health and Human Services (HHS) area of the budget seems to be the most challenging to finalize; however, we are aware that Hero Pay is amongst the provisions some lawmakers are fighting for in final negotiations.

Where things are going
Following their previously mentioned self-imposed guidelines, the unresolved budget and policy negotiations have escalated to legislative leadership and the governor to finalize and resolve any remaining differences. Staff and legislators have fourteen days to pass the two-year budget to avoid a government shutdown by July 1.

What to Watch
We are optimistic about Hero Pay’s inclusion in a final deal; however, we encourage you to make your voices heard to ensure it makes it into the final budget. If you would like to reach out to your lawmaker via phone or in-person, let us know. We are happy to support your advocacy in whatever ways we can. If you would like help setting up a meeting, please contact Matt Steele at msteele@leadingagemn.org or call 651-659-1430.