Local lawmakers divided on if budget will be passed after one day special session

Local lawmakers talk special session

ABC 6 News reporter Alex Karwowski sat down with local lawmakers ahead of the Minnesota special session.

(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota lawmakers are expected to put the finishing touches on the 14 remaining bills needed to pass a state budget on Monday.

RELATED: Governor Walz calls special legislative session

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called for a special session on Friday that is scheduled to end at 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning, but local legislators share different opinions on if a budget will be finalized by that time given the frequent missed deadlines.

RELATED: Gov. Walz’s self-imposed budget deadline misses, still no budget agreement

Sen. Liz Boldon, DFL-Rochester, said in full confidence that she thinks a budget will be passed by the end of the special session.

“It’s called for one day, we get one day. One way or another we’ll be done by 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, I do anticipate we will have all the bills passed by then,” Boldon said.

Rep. Duane Quam, R-Byron, said he thinks the vast majority of what’s left to do will be done, but given the setbacks in the regular session, he has his doubts.

“That tax bill, there were only two people, from one party, that prevented that tax bill from being done, ready, and accepted. And that’s caused a lot of the delay,” Quam said.

The 2025 legislative session is the first since 2022 that featured a divided legislature. Quam said it’s because of the divisions that have made negotiations difficult.

“When you’ve got divided Government there’s a give and take. And you focus on the common things you agree to, and then you focus on some key things that both, that both sides can agree on,” Quam said.

Sen. Boldon said because a lot of the agreements have already been made, she does not think there will be much discussion or amendments made.

“I don’t anticipate there will be many amendments because really we have come to those negotiated agreements at this point,” Boldon said.

Although the special session is called for one day, lawmakers have until June 30 to pass a budget before facing a potential government shutdown.