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Lawmakers Have Plenty Left To Do In Final Hours Of 2016 Session

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Latest on the final days of the Minnesota legislative session (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

Minnesota lawmakers are racing together spending plans for a $900 million budget surplus.

Legislative leaders were holed up for much of Saturday, hammering out agreements on remaining major issues. The Legislature must adjourn by Monday and cannot pass any bills past midnight Sunday.

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, a Republican from Mazeppa, said Saturday night that lawmakers seem more optimistic as some agreements have been reached.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk said earlier that a tentative agreement is coming together that includes several items the governor says are necessary to win his signature.

Gov. Mark Dayton has said he wouldn't sign a compromise package of more than $250 million in tax cuts unless it's paired with extra funding for a preschool program and other spending he deems critical.

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2:25 p.m.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk says a tentative agreement on a supplemental budget is coming together that includes several items the governor says are necessary to win his signature.

Bakk says the agreement with House Speaker Kurt Daudt includes funding for a statewide preschool program and broadband internet expansion and ongoing money to tackle racial disparities.

Those have been priorities highlighted by Gov. Mark Dayton, who on Friday said he wouldn't sign a tax relief package without them.

Lawmakers will be working through Saturday and Sunday to wrap up all the remaining items.

The Legislature must adjourn by Monday and cannot pass any bills past midnight Sunday. On whether everything can be finished by then, Bakk says it's "getting awful close."

12:20 p.m.

Senate Democrats have proposed a scaled-back borrowing package for public works projects in Minnesota.

The Senate DFL announced Saturday their proposal for a $1.4 billion bonding bill to finance repairs and infrastructure projects across the state. But their proposal is still $600 million more than the one House Republicans are seeking.

Both the House and Senate have failed to gain enough support for their respective bonding bills, which require three-fifths support of members from each chamber to pass.

A conference committee made up of members from each chamber will need to try and find a compromise after legislative leaders agree on a target borrowing number.

State lawmakers have less than two days to finish all their work before they must adjourn on Monday. They cannot pass any bills after midnight on Sunday.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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