With all but a small handful of minor issues seemingly resolved, representatives of Gov. Mark Dayton, House Republicans and Senate Democrats worked Tuesday to finalize one last budget bill in order to clear the way for the governor to call lawmakers back to St. Paul.
Both Dayton and GOP House Speaker Kurt Daudt said Tuesday they still hoped for a special session as early as Friday, or Monday at the latest. The end of this year's legislative process started to look more imminent on Monday, after Dayton dropped his insistence that the Legislature repeal or delay a just-passed provision that strips the elected state auditor of some responsibilities.
"People want to get it over with and I think we should get it over with," Dayton said Tuesday morning at an event highlighting railroad crossing safety in St. Paul Park.
The only budget bill left to be finalized is one that funds jobs and energy programs. Dayton vetoed the original jobs-energy funding bill, which lawmakers approved in the very last seconds of the regular legislative session to some ensuing controversy.
Daudt said late Tuesday afternoon that his staff had sent the House GOP's latest offer on the bill over to Dayton's office. "As soon as we get a conceptual agreement, we'll get the final bill drafted," Daudt said.
