MN Legislature adjourns after passing $72B budget

The Minnesota Legislature has adjourned for the year. Lawmakers put the final touches on a $72 billion state budget before adjourning for the year. Democrats celebrated enacting an ambitious agenda that ranged from protecting abortion rights, to providing more resources for education, to legalizing marijuana.

But the Republican minority, which was largely sidelined on most contentious issues this session, was upset that Democrats spent most of the surplus instead of returning it to taxpayers. And they blamed Democrats for raising taxes by $2.2 billion over the next two years and passing a budget that’s 40% bigger than the current budget.

Both chambers adjourned around 10 pm., well ahead of the midnight deadline, and are due to reconvene Feb. 12.

AP