Time running out for lawmakers to pass $8 billion in tax, spending bills

It might be a herculean task to pass $8 billion worth of bills in the last 48 hours of the 2022 session of the Minnesota Legislature, but legislative leaders say they’ll give a try.

“We do have enough time, but everybody has to get realistic and nobody can believe that they’re entitled to make 75 to 80% of all the decisions in any one budget area,” DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman told reporters Friday morning.

It’s similar to optimism expressed by Republican Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller on Thursday, particularly about the tax bill where the Republicans hope to achieve income tax relief.

“Our understanding is the tax conference committee has been working, making very good progress, might even be close to wrapping up,” Miller said.

However, Speaker Hortman made it clear the House will not send a tax bill to the Senate until Republicans agree to the spending bills.

“The trump card the House has is that all tax bills originate in the House,” Hortman said. “We will not send the tax bill until everything is done.”

According to the state constitution, the deadline to pass bills in the second year of a two-year session is midnight on Sunday.