Good morning. The weekend days are going to blend together for Capitol dwellers.
Donald Trump makes his way to Minnesota today, a state he says he’ll try to contest but would need to sink resources into if the play is for real. A Republican Party fundraising dinner offers the former president a ready-made opportunity to put Minnesota back into his sights after two prior defeats as the GOP nominee. His appearance also gave both parties a boost — the cash-strapped Republicans expected to make a bigger haul with Trump as the headliner and Democrats get a chance to stir up their base amid concerns about complacency. The event is not open to the public. Only media organizations selected by the Trump campaign will be allowed in.
Tune in at noon for an episode of Politics Friday centered around the GOP convention. Republicans from across the state are gathering in St. Paul for their convention. National convention delegates will be chosen, a party platform will be set and a U.S. Senate candidate should land the GOP’s backing. It breaks by late afternoon to prep for the dinner where Trump will be the headline speaker.
Legislative leaders dug in yesterday after a tense Wednesday night of debating in both chambers. Dana Ferguson reports that House Speaker Melissa Hortman said she was prepared to cut off debates heading into the weekend if she felt Republican members were delaying bills from moving forward. And she said that an equal rights amendment that includes protections for gender identity and pregnancy outcomes would come up for a vote today. “It's time for us to expand civil rights clearly in our Constitution to include everyone,” Hortman told reporters. “And the Republicans may want to fight that. But we are just as determined, if not more, to fight for it.” Hortman also said the Minnesota Senate had the votes to pass the version expected to move in the House.
Republicans at the Capitol slammed DFLers for limiting their debate on a bill making changes to Minnesota’s new paid family and medical leave program late Wednesday. And they said they would grind things to a halt in the final days of session if they had to. “I would say everything is at risk right now,” said House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth. “Bonding, sports betting, Uber/Lyft, everything where Republican votes may be needed is at risk because of the action taken last night.” GOP lawmakers have tried to use their leverage in capital investment talks to prioritize some bills and to sink others.
Is it a blow-up before a final deal or a sign that the 2024 campaign season is off and running? Guess we’ll find out Sunday at 11:59 p.m. In the meantime, lawmakers have a lot left on the table. While they technically don’t have to do anything this year, rural EMS providers, local governments, state agencies and others are counting on them to pass bills in the next three days to help them fund projects or stay afloat financially.
Gov. Tim Walz and Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy might have more to say this morning on how legislative leaders could land the plane on time. They’ll be on Morning Edition around 7:35 and 8:35, respectively. Stream it here or tune in on the radio.
A Senate committee approved $24 million for emergency medical services across the state. It’s only about a quarter of what EMS providers say they need. The $24 million is for one time emergency funding and an additional $6 million will come from a separate bill that puts the jackpot at $30 million. That’s a lot less than many lawmakers and ambulance providers were hoping for. Rural EMS providers have estimated the need at $122 million to maintain existing levels of service. Earlier in session, Walz had proposed $16 million for EMS. Uber and Lyft drivers are just as divided on minimum wage as lawmakers. The Minnesota Reformer’s Max Nesterak hung out at the rideshare airport lot and spoke to rideshare drivers on every side of the debate for a deep dive into what’s become a contentious issue across the state. He also looked at how Uber and Lyft’s algorithms can affect a driver’s earnings. You can read the full story here. | 
