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Talking Points: Will There Be A Special Session? Government Shutdown?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Three weeks from Monday, May 22, is the deadline for the Minnesota Legislature to adjourn.

But so far there is no agreement on the state's budget for the next two years and that means the likelihood of a possible special session and even a state government shutdown this summer.

In 2016, when the Legislative leaders and the governor couldn't agree on key bills including bonding and transportation, those bills just never got done.

But this is a budget year. Every two years the Legislature has to pass a two-year budget, otherwise the government will shut down.

That happened most recently back in 2011, when the state of Minnesota shut down for much of its business for 20 days. State parks were closed and many state employees were furloughed.

Now, with Republican leaders and the governor not even close with their budget proposals, it looks increasingly like a shutdown is a possibility.

The key players at the Capitol are Gov. Mark Dayton, Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt and Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka.

Gazelka was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning.

"I don't even think about special session and shut down," he said. "We are going to get it done."

He credits his confidence to the good communication between himself, Dayton and Daudt.

If the Legislature misses the May 22 deadline, the governor could call a special session before July 1.

That's the date a shutdown would begin if a two-year budget is not in place.

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