Talking Points: Daudt Talks Looming Shutdown, Auditor Bill Issues

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- In just 23 days, there could be a partial state government shutdown.

In preparation for that, state parks will have to stop taking reservations a week from Monday, and thousands of state workers could be laid off on July 1.

The impasse is down to one unlikely issue: the duties of the state auditor.

The hold up at the state capitol is over a bill that scales back the duties of Rebecca Otto.

Language allowing counties to hire private auditors was put into a budget bill in the closing hours of the Legislature.

When the bill got to Gov. Mark Dayton's desk, he objected to the change.

But Dayton, who was state auditor back in the nineties, still signed the bill, saying he did so in order to protect funding for thousands of state jobs.

The governor said that despite his having signed the bill, he wanted to address the state auditor issue in a special session.

Republicans say that's not the way things work.

House Speaker Kurt Daudt, who was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning, said he hopes there isn't a shutdown over the language in the auditor bill the governor signed and then disagreed with.

He added that there's "no urgency" for dealing with the bill's language in the special session.

"The language doesn't go into effect until August of 2016, and no private audits, I'm told, will happen until 2018," Daudt said. "We have another legislative session before the language goes into effect, and we'll have more information…so we can make the best decision."

Late last week, the governor offered up a compromise, saying he would accept the change, but wants the implementation delayed to 2017.

So far, Republicans have said no deal.

To see the fill interview with Daudt, watch the video above.