ST. PAUL 鈥� Plans for a Minnesota special session continue to coalesce behind the scenes, Senate GOP Leader Jeremy Miller , R-Winona, said Thursday, Sept. 9.
The announcement came as Miller met with reporters for the first time in his new role and after a state working group blew past its Labor Day deadline to decide how to send out $250 million in hero pay to front-line workers who had to take unpaid time off to quarantine or got sick with COVID-19 during the pandemic.
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Miller said members of the nine-person working group were getting close to a deal and they expected to make the plan public in the coming days. That could spur Gov. Tim Walz to call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a legislative special session to pass the spending proposal.
Miller said lawmakers were committed to getting the funds out to workers and open to passing a package of drought-relief measures for Minnesota farmers during the special session. But he stopped short of saying whether his caucus would push for the removal of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm .
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$250 million in Minnesota front-line worker hero payments still stuck in negotiations A state working group buzzed past its Labor Day deadline without a deal on who should get the funds or how much they'd be eligible to receive. -
Minnesota Senate GOP taps Jeremy Miller as next majority leader The former Senate president was elected to lead the caucus after former Majority Leader Paul Gazelka stepped down to pursue a bid for governor. -
Republican Paul Gazelka announces bid for Minnesota governor The former Senate majority leader has garnered a reputation in St. Paul as a dealmaker and negotiator, clinching budget deals with the Democratic governor's office and state House year after year.
鈥淭here are serious concerns about Commissioner Malcolm that we鈥檝e heard from constituents but I鈥檒l also say that it鈥檚 an ongoing conversation within our caucus and we鈥檒l have to see how it plays out,鈥� Miller told reporters at the Capitol.
Walz has said he won't call legislators back to St. Paul without a commitment from Republicans that they'll let his commissioners remain in place. The governor on Thursday told reporters that his administration had an aid package for farmers hit by historically dry conditions. And he said he remained hopeful that lawmakers could return to take up the drought aid and front-line worker support later this month.
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