The House Democrat boycott at the Minnesota State Capitol hit the nine-day mark on Wednesday and there are few signs anything will change soon. It might take a Minnesota Supreme Court decision to break the stalemate.

A hearing on DFL petitions asking the court to rule the House Republicans don’t have a valid quorum will be held Thursday.

RELATED: Chaotic start to 2025 Minnesota legislative session

DFL House Leader Melissa Hortman acknowledges there are high stakes for both Republicans and Democrats. “Their risk going into court is to have the Minnesota Supreme Court rule that everything they have done is illegitimate,” she said this week. “Our risk going into court is for the Minnesota Supreme Court to stay out of it and not really take a position. Both of us have huge downsides.”

House Democrats say a quorum to conduct business is 68 out of 134 total seats. Republicans claim it’s 67 out of 133 the number of currently seated representatives.

The Supreme Court could decide what the state constitution’s definition of quorum is, even though the document is relatively vague. Or the court could issue an advisory opinion and decide not to get involved in the House dispute.

Meanwhile, House Republicans continued holding hearings on bills Wednesday.

In the House Transportation Committee lawmakers heard a bill that would repeal a retail delivery fee and automatic increases in the state gas tax. “Our job as legislators is to decide what tax increases are going to be put in place and what tax decreases are going to be put in place, not have them automatic,” said bill author Rep. Jim Joy (R – Hawley). Democrats passed those measures last year.

There were no disruptions at House hearings Wednesday. On Tuesday, a group identifying itself as “Trans and Queer activists” protested a Capitol hearing, shouting a string of profane words and insults at lawmakers saying, “You do not have quorum. You are not allowed to do this!”

House DFL leaders sent out a news release Wednesday highlighting where lawmakers are working in their districts while boycotting the legislative session.

Hortman says her members will stay away as long as Republicans keep threatening not to seat one of their members, Rep. Brad Tabke, who narrowly won his race in Shakopee. An election contest showed he won by 14 votes, but 20 ballots were thrown away without being counted.

“Right now, at the negotiating table we’re really getting nothing from Republicans,” Hortman said this week. “We’re getting no assurances of anything worthwhile at all.”