This post has been updated.
J. Patrick Coolican
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders convened at the governor's residence Friday morning to try to broker a deal on a special legislative session.
House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, emerged from the meeting after about an hour and said work groups would resume meeting next week to find accord on some of the emerging issues.
Dayton said he was encouraged by lawmakers' work this week and said he hoped to see more progress and a potential agreement. He set no deadline.
Dayton and Democratic leaders have sought a special legislative session to deal with the looming federal deadline on Real ID, extending unemployment benefits for laid off mine workers on the Iron Range and several proposals to improve economic conditions for black Minnesotans.
The issues of Real ID and Iron Range benefits are perhaps the easiest to solve quickly, but so far no agreements have been reached.
Republicans have said there's plenty of time to deal with the issues in the upcoming legislative session in March. Daudt, however, said they were still working to see if a special legislative session would be possible.
Dayton imposed a Friday deadline for striking a deal on the terms of a special session. The governor has the power to call a special session, but he will not summon legislators to St. Paul without an agreement because only legislators can decide when to adjourn.
