Minnesota
Minnesota Legislature during special session passes next state budget to avert government shutdown
The Minnesota Legislature approved the remaining pieces of the next state budget on Monday during a special session, after lawmakers failed to complete their work in May.
The House adjourned around 10:40 p.m., and the Senate was on track to do the same around midnight or early on Tuesday. They had 14 bills on their to-do list; most were spending plans that made up the roughly $66 billion budget for the next two years.
The political make-up of the Capitol is unique, with a tied House for only the second time in state history, and is as closely divided as a Legislature can be in Minnesota, with 100 Republicans and 101 Democrats. That made negotiations challenging and forced compromise.
“The tie forced us to work together, and I think that’s something that people outside of the bubble here in St. Paul are looking for people to do,” said House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring. “They want representation in the state that can work together and do the best things for our state.”
A delayed start in the House, after DFL lawmakers boycotted the first few weeks over a power dispute, ended in overtime. But a divided Legislature is not unique in Minnesota. Four of the last five budget-writing sessions, including this one, have ended with special sessions because they didn’t finish the budget on time when Republicans and Democrats shared power.
“We prevented a duly elected member of the Minnesota House from being kicked out for no reason whatsoever other than political expediency. And I think in the end, fighting for that equal shared power made this a better session,” said former DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “And I think the way that today unfolded was about cooperation and collaboration, we could have had that from the word go. I’m really happy that we did finally get there.”
Finishing their work on Monday prevented nearly 30,000 state workers from getting layoff notices on Tuesday in advance of a partial government shutdown on July 1 if they failed to approve a budget.
As of 11:30 p.m. Monday, the Senate had to pass a tax bill and a bonding proposal funding infrastructure projects before they adjourned, but had approved the budget bills. The legislation made significant cuts to stave off a projected $6 billion deficit in future years.
Most of the day was smooth sailing after lawmakers in the House began by passing the most contentious bill of the year that will remove undocumented immigrant adults from MinnesotaCare, a state health care coverage program, by the year’s end.
The debate in that chamber lasted for four hours and at times was emotional. The change was a top priority for Republicans who are concerned that growing enrollment would balloon costs in an unsustainable way.
Democrats in both chambers are deeply opposed to the measure, which will preserve coverage for children despite the rollback for adults.
Through tears, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said approving it, which she agreed to in a larger budget compromise among legislative leaders, was among the most “painful” votes she ever had to take.
She and three other Democrats supported it in the Senate. Hortman was the sole DFL vote alongside Republicans in the House.
Hortman was similarly emotional when reflecting on that moment.
“What I worry about is the people who will lose their health insurance. I know that people will be hurt by that vote,” she said. “We worked very hard to try to get a budget deal that wouldn’t include that provision, and we tried any other way we could to come to a budget agreement with Republicans, and they wouldn’t have it. So I did what leaders do, I stepped up and I got the job done for the people of Minnesota.”
This story will be updated.
Minnesota
Hennen: Can Minnesota be saved?
I grew up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes — Minnesota born, Minnesota bred — and I can tell you without hesitation the state I once knew is slipping away. What was once a model of common sense and good governance has become a national embarrassment under one-party Democratic control, where incompetence, corruption, and a complete lack of accountability now define state government.
Start with the Gov. Tim Walz administration’s Housing Stabilization Services program — sold as a way to help people in need — which became so consumed by fraud that the Minnesota House voted unanimously, 134-0, to shut it down. Think about that. In today’s political climate, nothing is unanimous unless it’s a total disaster. That wasn’t a disagreement — it was an admission of failure.
Then there’s the Department of Human Services, where basic oversight has simply vanished. At the same time, every single House Democrat voted to block mandatory reporting to ICE when a criminal illegal alien breaks the law, despite the fact that 85% of Minnesotans support cooperation between local law enforcement and immigration authorities. A bill designed to focus on violent criminal illegal immigrants and prevent the chaos we saw earlier this year was rejected outright. So who are they representing?
Meanwhile, a program meant to help children with autism exploded from $38 million to $325 million in just five years, with providers jumping from 150 to more than 500, and when credible allegations surfaced that some providers were offering kickbacks to parents, three separate complaints were closed without investigation. The Walz administration’s excuse? A broken, 30-year-old rule written incorrectly, which they claim limits what they can investigate. They’ve known about it, they could have fixed it, and they didn’t. Now they say it could take two more years. That’s not governance — that’s avoidance.
And while fraud runs rampant, Democrats somehow found time to call emergency Friday hearings to push through 16 bills targeting your Second Amendment rights. Apparently, restricting your rights takes priority over protecting your tax dollars.
Speaking of tax dollars, consider this: Democrats blew an $18 billion surplus, grew the size of government by over 40%, and raised taxes by $10 billion—and now Walz wants to raise your taxes again. Even after all that, they still feel entitled to more of your money.
Then there’s the Feeding Our Future scandal, where Ikram Mohamed pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving $14 million, with over a million going into her own pocket, and federal investigators believe she was involved in efforts to bribe a juror. She even secretly recorded Attorney General Keith Ellison while seeking help, yet under her plea deal, she avoids prosecution for other potential crimes. What message does that send? This is what happens when no one is held accountable and government grows too large to manage.
So the question is simple: can Minnesota be saved? Not without restoring accountability, transparency and leadership that actually puts citizens first, because right now those principles are missing, and Minnesotans are the ones paying the price.
Minnesota
Former Minnesota Twins Prospect Speaks on Retiring from MLB
Does The NWSL Know What Soccer Fans Actually Want? | Full Time PodcastWelcome to Full Time, a show about women’s soccer.
In this episode, Meg and Tamerra dive into the world of NWSL fan supporter groups. As the NWSL is coveting new eyeballs and growth, an announcement that the league would be establishing a “league supporter’s group” as a sponsorship collaboration with an energy drink named Unwell, has sparked questions and concern among fan led groups – who have been on the ground building the league for over a decade now.
Full Time hosts Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan discuss tension in the relationship between the league and its supporters. With the help of voices from four different NWSL supporter’s groups from across the country, Tamerra and Meg unpack what values are most important to key community stakeholders and where the NWSL might well be falling short.
Thumbnail credit: Roy K. Miller/ISI Photos / Contributor / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images and Rodin Eckenroth / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images Chapter descriptions: ————
#nwsl #uswnt #wsl
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Catch the full episodes of Full Time right here 🎙️👇
00:00 Intro
00:13 What is a supporters group?
02:49 Guest introductions
05:06 What do supporters groups do?
08:02 Who are supporters groups for?
13:38 Growth & Tension
16:02 The need for a third space for fans
20:11 Is the NWSL doing enough to protect fans?
31:16 Outro
➡️ https://apple.co/3RJUen2
➡️ https://spoti.fi/3W25Q77
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Minnesota
How to buy Minnesota Regional 2026 March Madness women’s tickets
The women’s NCAA Tournament bracket has been revealed, and Minnesota fans can enjoy watching their team’s March Madness run begin at home.
Minnesota will be hosting an NCAA Tournament regional, playing up to two games on its home court during the first weekend of March Madness.
Minnesota is back in the big dance after last qualifying in 2018.
Shop Minnesota Regional women’s basketball tickets
Minnesota played well enough during the regular season to earn a No. 4 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and a top four seed in the Sacramento 2 region, and will host during the opening weekend of the tournament.
Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Minnesota women’s March Madness tickets.
Minnesota women’s March Madness opponent
Minnesota earned a No. 4 seed in the Sacramento 2 Region. It will take on No. 13 Green Bay in its opening game.
Minnesota women’s March Madness regional teams
Minnesota, along with Green Bay, No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 12 Gonzaga will play in Minneapolis for the first and second rounds of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Shop Minnesota Regional women’s basketball tickets
Minnesota women’s March Madness Regional basketball tickets
Limited Minnesota women’s regional NCAA Tournament tickets are still available. Get your Minnesota women’s March Madness tickets today as they start their NCAA Tournament on home court.
More March Madness: Everything fans need to know about the 2026 NCAA Tournament
Minnesota March Madness game schedule
Minnesota will take on Green Bay on Friday, March 20 . The game is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. ET. Shop Minnesota vs. Green Bay tickets now.
Shop Minnesota Regional women’s basketball tickets
Minnesota March Madness game locations
Minnesota will play its Round of 64 and potential Round of 32 games in Minneapolis .
Limited tickets for the first weekend of March Madness in the twin cities are available. Shop your Minnesota NCAA Tournament Tickets now.
Minnesota best NCAA Tournament result
Minnesota’s best result in the NCAA Tournament: Reached Final Four in 2004.
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