Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz touts end-of-session deal with lawmakers
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday touted an end-of-session deal created with leaders in the state Legislature, saying the agreement proffers "historic budget reserves, long-term financial stability, surpluses on the bottom line and investments and protections of those programs that matter."
Wednesday night, days before the Legislature's mandatory adjournment, Walz and leaders announced a bipartisan agreement that includes funding for Hennepin County Medical Center, one-time relief to taxpayers, lower car registration fees and more.
Sources tell WCCO the deal includes a one-time $205 million funding boost for HCMC, which hospital leaders have repeatedly said will close without aid. It also creates a $500 million hospital reserve account to stave off future shortfalls. Officials said Thursday the one-time funding would be available imminently, while the reserves could be used as soon as next summer by "hospitals that are in distress."
This marks the final session of Walz's tenure as governor; he reneged on his run for a third term in January amid repeated attacks from state and federal Republicans over fraud in Minnesota.
"My job is to hand this off to the next governor, whoever the people of Minnesota choose, to hand off a state that is in solid financial shape that now has the tools and the changes that were made for the program integrity around the weaknesses that were exploited by people," Walz said, "yet be able to see those rankings, on childhood poverty being some of the lowest in the country, healthcare access being some of the highest."
One outstanding issue as the session winds down: gun reform. Minnesota House Democrats have accused Republican Speaker Lisa Demuth of holding a gun control bill that already passed the Senate hostage. They are threatening a sit-in if Demuth doesn't let the bill on the floor for a vote.
"If this bill comes to the House floor, it will pass," Walz said Thursday. "That's clearly why it's not coming to the House floor."
Demuth on Thursday said the issue is settled.
"As far as the gun bills that were brought up already in committee, those were brought up back in March and they were also brought up to the House floor," Demuth said. "They did fail on a party-line vote."