SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Republican Senate majority’s supplemental budget finance bill passed the Minnesota Senate today with a vote of 34-31. The bill, which included several controversial provisions, failed to get one DFL vote. Senate DFL Caucus Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, released the following statement.
“My Senate DFL colleagues tried time and again to improve this bill – to remove controversial provisions or add sensible policies – but their efforts were cut down with near-unanimous Republican opposition. In the end, Republicans’ unwillingness to make any bipartisan changes to this bill meant it didn’t garner a single DFL vote.
“As we move forward this session with just over three weeks left, I hope the Republican caucus leadership take seriously the need for an open and transparent process with conference committees open to the public. All Minnesotans deserve a chance to participate in this process.”