Deal reached on 4 spending bills

Updated at 8:36 p.m.

Four days after reaching a global budget agreement, GOP leaders and the governor hammered out a deal Monday on four spending bills.

The Legislature must still approve those bills, which were released to the public on Monday evening. They include appropriations for public safety, judiciary, transportation, environment and natural resources and Legacy funds.

One of the most significant changes from the original proposals is the funding of Twin Cities transit. Republican lawmakers wanted to cut Met Council funding to about $20 million -- $100 million below current levels. Dayton wanted $129 million.

The two sides agreed to $78 million over the next to years, a $42 million dip from Met Council's take last biennium. In 2014-2015, however, they agreed to Dayton's position of $129 million.

In the environment and natural resources bill, Republicans agreed to spend about $9 million more on the Department of Natural Resources -- $10 million less than Dayton requested. Pollution Control Agency funding rose from $5.6 million in the GOP budget to $10.1 million. Dayton wanted $17 million.

The public safety bill spends about $10 million more on the Office of Justice Programs than the GOP budget. The $65 million appropriation for that office is also $6 million below Dayton's recommendation.

The final public safety deal also restores most of the funding Dayton wanted for the Human Rights Department. Dayton requested $6.6 million, while Republicans wanted $2.3 million. They agreed to $6.3 million.

Some of the largest deals have yet to be released, however.

The most contentious areas of the budget, K-12 education and Health and Human Services, remained behind closed doors on Monday evening. Republicans have been at odds with the governor over education policy and health spending.