Minn. Ok's Budget Bills, Shutdown to End

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Legislature approved Wednesday the last of a dozen bills in a special session needed to complete a budget deal and end a state government shutdown now nearly three weeks old.

The bills will be forwarded to Democratic Governor Mark Dayton, who has said he would sign the bills quickly to end the shutdown and resume normal operations. It is expected to take some time to restart all the state operations.

Dayton had called the special session Tuesday afternoon for lawmakers to approve bills worked out in a deal with Republican legislative leaders to end the longest government shutdown in state history.

Under an agreement between the governor and top Democratic and Republican legislative leaders, the session covered only the dozen proposals, with no amendments.

More than 22,000 Minnesota state workers were furloughed, and state parks, historic sites and numerous functions closed down when the new fiscal year started July 1 without a budget.