Last reviewed January 2012
Resources on Minnesota Issues
State Government Shutdowns
This guide is compiled by staff at the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library on a topic of interest
to Minnesota legislators. It is designed to provide an introduction to the topic, directing the user to
a variety of sources, and is not intended to be exhaustive.
Tough economic times during the past decade have led to challenging budget decisions for Minnesota state policymakers. In 2001, a shutdown of
state government was averted at the last moment. 2005 saw a partial shutdown that lasted for almost two weeks. In 2011, a government
shutdown began on July 1, 2011 and lasted for 20 days.
This guide links to materials that document the various activities of the Minnesota Legislature, governors, state agencies,
and the courts before, during, and after the several shutdowns of Minnesota state government.
A December 2011 publication titled, Automatic Continuing
Appropriations and Government Shutdowns, from the Minnesota House Research Department, explores how broad automatic
continuing appropriations laws function in other states that have them and how a similar law might operate in Minnesota.
Recent Minnesota legislative proposals to enact such legislation are also covered in the report.
In 2011-2012 several bills related to government shutdown contingency plans were
introduced in the House
and the Senate.
2011
BeReadyMN - Information on the state government shutdown from Minnesota Management
and Budget. Websites from Minnesota
state agencies, boards, and commissions have varying levels of availability during the shutdown.
Legislative sources for following current budget negotiations - House
Press Conference page and the Senate
Press Conference page; Session Daily news stories from House
Public Information Services; and the Meeting Archives page from the Legislative
Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy.
Recommended
Priority One and Priority Two Critical Services: 2011 Potential Minnesota Government Shutdown. Statewide Contingency Response Team,
Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget, Jim Schowalter, Chair. June 15, 2011.
Recommended Statewide Objectives:
2011 Potential Minnesota Government Shutdown. Statewide Contingency Response Team, Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget,
Jim Schowalter, Chair. June 15, 2011.
State Government Shutdown Executive Summary. Minnesota Management &
Budget, October 2011. (See p. 4 of the report for a timeline of the shutdown.)
In Re Temporary Funding of Core Functions of the Executive Branch of the State of Minnesota (Second District Court 62-CV-11-5203):
-
Minnesota Attorney General:
Petition,
Memorandum,
and
Motion for Order to Show Cause filed with Ramsey County District Court, Second Judicial District, June 13,
2011.
-
Response of the Governor to the Petition of the Attorney General filed June 15, 2011.
-
Findings of Fact,
Conclusion of Law, and Order Granting Motion for Temporary Funding and
Order
Amending Finding of Fact Number 36 (MN Zoo funding) filed June 29, 2011.
-
Governor's Proposed First Report and Recommendations of the Special Master filed July 4, 2011.
-
Case Number 62-CV-11-5203 - Minnesota Judicial Branch, Second District,
website providing access to the many court documents connected to temporary funding of core functions of the Executive Branch of the State of
Minnesota.
- Special Master Filings - Filings for Hearings Before Special Master Kathleen Blatz.
In Re Temporary Funding of Core Functions of the Judical Branch of the State of Minnesota (Second District Court 62-CV-11-5361):
- Minnesota Judicial Council/Minnesota Attorney General: Petition, Motion
for Order to Show Cause, Memorandum filed
with Ramsey County District Court, Second Judicial District, June 13, 2011.
- Findings
of Fact, Conclusion of Law, and Order Granting Injuctive Relief ordered June 28, 2011.
-
Case Number 62-CV-11-5361 - Minnesota Judicial Branch, Second District,
website providing access to the many court documents connected to temporary funding of core functions of the Judical Branch of the
State of Minnesota.
In re: State Senator Warren Limmer, et al. vs. Lori Swanson in her official capacity as Attorney General, et al. (Minnesota Supreme Court A11-1107):
- Petition for Writ of Quo Warranto (June 20, 2011)
- Attorney General's Motion to Dismiss (June 20, 2011)
- Order (June 21, 2011)
- Governor's Joinder (June 22, 2011)
- Request to File Amicus Brief (June 22, 2011)
- Petitioner's Response to Motion to Dismiss (June 22, 2011)
- Order to Dismiss (June 22, 2011)
- Emergency Motion of the Governor to Consolidate and Stay Proceedings Pending Consolidation (June 29, 2011)
- Emergency Motion of the Governor: Declaration of James Schowalter (June 30, 2011)
- Attorney General's Motion to Consolidate (June 30, 2011)
- House of Representative's Response to Governor's Motion to Consolidate (June 30, 2011)
- Senate's Response to Governor's Motion to Consolidate (June 30, 2011)
- Canterbury Park Holding Corporation's Response to Governor's Motion to Consolidate (June 30, 2011)
- Minnesota Harness Racing, Inc./North Metro Harness Initiative, LLC, Response to Governor's Motion to Consolidate (June 30, 2011)
- Order to Consolidate Shutdown Litigation Filed in District Courts (June 30, 2011)
In re: State Senator Warren Limmer, et al. vs. Lori Swanson in her official capacity as Attorney General, et al. (Minnesota Supreme Court A11-1222):
2005
Potential 2005 State Government Shutdown Documents. St. Paul, 2005. The Legislative Reference Library compiled several documents
related to the partial government shutdown in 2005.
Senate Videos - The Minnesota Senate Media Office
has several videos covering aspects of budget negotiations and the expected 2005 shutdown on a
"Special Events" page for 2005. Scroll down to
the June 2005 events.
Wattson, Peter. Power
of the Purse in Minnesota. St. Paul: Senate Counsel, 2007. Legal aspects of the 2005 shutdown are discussed.
Writ of Quo Warranto Case, 2005 - A brief description and
links to documents.
2001
State Shutdown Coordinating Team Announces "Critical Services" to be
Continued in Event of a Government Shutdown. St. Paul: Minnesota Shutdown Communications Center, 2001.
Materials Regarding Potential 2001 Government Shutdown.
St. Paul, 2001. The Legislative Reference Library compiled several documents.
NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT MINNESOTA SHUTDOWNS:
The Library has compiled a notebook of materials related to the 2005 shutdown which provides a nice overview of the 2005 situation. Materials in the notebook cover public opinions, editorials, commentaries, political cartoons, effects on government employees, and general news coverage in both the metro area and Greater Minnesota. The notebook is available for use in the Library; legislators and legislative staff can access
the contents online.
Contact the Library for access to 2011 shutdown media coverage.
SELECTED NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT SHUTDOWNS IN OTHER STATES:
Goodman, Josh. "State
Government Shutdowns: A Dangerous Game." Stateline,
June 3, 2011.
Late State Budgets. Denver, CO: National Conference
of State Legislatures, 2010. This compilation includes a section, "Examples of Government Shutdowns."
Moore Lorrie. "When
States Shut Down for Business." New York Times, July 1, 2011.
The Library has compiled a notebook of pre-2011 articles on state government shutdowns in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
The notebook is available for use in the Library, or legislators and legislative staff can access the contents
online.