ST. PAUL, Minn. – Leaders of feuding Democrats and Republicans have negotiated the outlines of a new power-sharing agreement that could end the Minnesota House shutdown. This is according to several House members from both parties who have been kept up-to-date date on the secret negotiations. These sources said they were told to stand by to return to their desks in the House chambers in the morning, Reportedly the agreement:
> Puts Lisa Demuth, a Republican, in place as speaker of the House.
> Requires Demuth to allow major bills to come to the floor for debate, a significant diminishing of the speaker’s power.
> Gives the powerful leadership of committees to whichever party has a majority at a given time, which can be in ongoing flux with the membership spit 67-67 split between the parties right now.
> Creates a new frauds committee, a GOP priority, with a two-seat Republican majority — five GOP and three DFL members.
The House has been shut down since January14 when Democrats boycotted in solidarity to deny Republicans the quorum that is necessary to conduct business. Democrats claimed that Republicans had backed out of an earlier power-sharing agreement
Demuth. She’s madam speaker now but with some curtailed powers. From Cold Spring in central Minnesota. First House speaker of black extraction in Minnesota history.