The Senate adjourned from the special session early this morning. A week of negotiations on how best to spend federal CARES dollars, assemble a bonding bill, and pass police accountability reforms ultimately broke down over stalemates from the House and the Governor.

“If the Governor would’ve worked with the divided legislature, we could have taken some solid first steps in addressing the housing crisis,” said Senator Scott Jensen (R-Chaska). “I am so disappointed this did not happen.”

Senator Jensen agreed with Senator Rich Draheim’s (R-Madison Lake) analysis:

“The Senate did our work. The only reason we are here in a special session is because the Governor wanted to extend his emergency power and keep the state closed. The Senate did vote to end the governor’s powers because one man can’t possibly make the best decision for every business, school, gym, and nursing home in the state,” said Senator Draheim.

“Nonetheless, the Senate passed a clean CARES act bill and sent it the House, we passed five bills with nine provisions instilling trust and accountability on our state’s police force, and we waited as long as we could to receive a bonding bill for local jobs and economic stimulus from the House,” Draheim continued. “The CARES act bill was agreed upon by the legislative leaders, but House amended millions of dollars of new spending to the bill, effectively tanking the bill. The Senate’s police reform included many agreed upon ideas like banning chokeholds and requiring officers to intervene if they see excessive force, and democrats wanted to add felon voting and dismantling of police.”

“Ultimately, behind the scenes pressure from the Governor has ended any goodwill and trust at the capitol,” concluded Draheim, “When we can’t work together, the bills are going to fall apart. And that’s really sad for the state of Minnesota.”