Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Republican leaders of the Minnesota Legislature are proposing a brief special session to avert a legal fight over the next lieutenant governor.
House Speaker Kurt Daudt and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka sent a letter Friday to Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, asking him to call a special session to allow the Senate to elect a Democrat as president of the Senate.
Republicans currently hold a narrow majority. Under the state constitution, Republican state Senate President Michelle Fischbach would become lieutenant governor when current office-holder Tina Smith replaces U.S. Sen. Al Franken next month. Fischbach contends she can still keep her Senate seat, but the Minnesota attorney general's office disagrees.
Earlier this week, Dayton said he was open to considering a special session if it's limited to the succession issue..
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
