Minnesota Legislature Balances $66B Budget, Adjourns Special Session

The Minnesota Legislature convened a special session to finalize the state's two-year budget after failing to complete it during the regular session, preventing a partial government shutdown and layoffs of nearly 30,000 state workers. The $66 billion budget includes funding for roads, bridges, wastewater treatment, state assets, schools, parks, and services for people with disabilities. The session was marked by a unique political makeup with a tied House and a narrow Democratic Senate majority, necessitating bipartisan cooperation amid contentious negotiations, including debates over Medicaid eligibility for undocumented adults and cuts to nursing homes and home care programs. Democrats successfully blocked Republican efforts to roll back progressive laws such as Paid Family and Medical Leave, universal school meals, and reproductive freedom, while Republicans emphasized the need for representation that works together. The session ended with a compromise budget that funds essential state services and reflects a balance of priorities, with lawmakers adjourned until February 2026. This budget marks the first capital investment bill since 2023, expected to create thousands of good-paying jobs across Minnesota.