Another meeting, but still no agreement on special session
Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders still don't have an agreement on a special session after another closed-door meeting Friday.
However, the DFL governor won't concede defeat, insisting he wants a special session agreement on Monday.
Dayton has said for months that legislators should act earlier than the March regular session to extend unemployment benefits to idled steelworkers on the Iron Range, as well as address racial economic disparities and Real ID compliance.
Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt says lawmakers can take up the issues in five weeks.
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"We believe that they can wait until regular session," he said. "We don't think it makes a lot of sense to bring everybody back in. But we're certainly willing to talk."
Both sides said deals on Iron Range unemployment benefits and Real ID are close. A package to address racial economic disparities is not.
Dayton blamed House Republicans for slow-walking the negotiations and making demands that he described as "poison pills."
"It just mystifies me frankly that they feel they have to get something in order to do what is the right thing for Minnesota," Dayton said.
The regular legislative session is slated to start March 8.