UPDATED VERSION: Governor, Legislature ‘Ready to Go’

Updated at 5:30 a.m. on July 19: Just when budget negotiations appeared to be headed toward another impasse, quick work from Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP leaders led to a Monday evening announcement that Minnesota legislators could be back in their seats to confirm a deal as early as Tuesday.

The parties gave cursory approval to the Public Safety/Judiciary and Transportation bills Monday afternoon and then, around 8 p.m., approved $664 million for an Environment bill.

The fourth approved bill of the day appropriates an estimated $178 million in Legacy funds to outdoor heritage preservation.     

The four bills worked out Monday are the latest legislative moves in the past two days.

MPR News reported Sunday evening that a handshake deal was reached on an $11 billion Health and Human Services bill, but that budget has not been confirmed by either party.

In a move aimed at building transparency within the special legislative session, Dayton’s office issued a statement Monday night confirming that the State Capitol would be open to the public as of 9 a.m. Tuesday.

“The Governor ordered the (Capitol) doors opened to allow public access and transparency as the Legislature prepares to reconvene to pass a budget,” the statement read.

The government shutdown will end once the legislature passes the bills and Dayton signs them into law.

July 18: A special session to resolve the state's prolonged budget crisis is imminent, said Assistant Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel.

"I think we are ready to go. It's time to get Minnesotans back to work," said Michel (R-Edina and West Bloomington), who spoke on on WCCO radio Monday afternoon.

"It is up to the governor to decide that, though," he added.

Michel also pointed to the release of Public Safety/Judiciary and Transportation bills as evidence of Monday's progress. Negotiators appropriated $4.7 billion for the Transportation bill and $1.9 billion for Public Safety/Judiciary for the next biennium.

On Sunday evening, MPR news reported that a handshake deal was reached on an $11 billion Health and Human Services bill, but that budget has not been confirmed by representatives of either party.