DFLers disrupt budget news conference due to cuts to healthcare for undocumented immigrants
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, during a news conference on Thursday, touted the agreement reached for the state’s budget.
The state leaders all praised the teamwork and compromise it took to reach an agreement, days before the May 19 deadline. Walz added that because of the united front, nearly 90% of the previously predicted $6 billion budget deficit for the 2028-29 biennium has been erased.
A document showing the agreement can be found at the bottom of this article.
Several DFL lawmakers tried to get into the room where the press conference was being held, upset about the budget cutting healthcare for undocumented immigrants. Under a compromise, only the children of undocumented immigrants will continue to have access to the state healthcare program known as MinnesotaCare. Adult undocumented immigrants will be phased out of the program after December 2025.
The budget also includes plans to close the Stillwater prison. Department of Corrections officials will speak about this at 1 p.m.
In a written statement on the budget, Walz said in part, “While we disagree on many things, every person in the negotiating room has the best interest of our state in mind.”
Murphy, as well as Demuth, also issued statements, which can be found in part below:
“This wasn’t easy, and that’s a good thing. Legislative leaders and Governor Walz have worked through our differences and met our obligation to get to this point. I’m proud of that. Now we can move forward with our work to finalize our budget in the best interests of Minnesotans.”
Erin Murphy
“We still have work to do, and I look forward to finishing this session strong. With this agreement, we’re making life more affordable for Minnesotans, strengthening our state, and making Minnesota a great place to live and work.”
Lisa Demuth
Notably, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson didn’t sign the budget agreement or attend the news conference. KSTP is working to find out more.
If a final budget agreement isn’t reached by the May 19 session deadline, layoff notices and other government shutdown preparations could start. Those would begin if an agreement and budget bills aren’t passed by June 1.
If an agreement isn’t reached by June 30, state funding for any programs not passed into law would stop on July 1, when parts of the state government could shut down.
But House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman says lawmakers still hope to avoid a special session. Legislators are working to wrap up by Monday, adding that with a worst-case scenario, there could be a one-day special session — something that was also seen in 2019.
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