Minnesota Supreme Court Declines to Decide Whether Veto of Legislature Funding Is Unconstitutional

Minnesota Supreme Court Declines to Decide Whether Veto of Legislature Funding Is Unconstitutional

Minnesota Supreme Court

The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to decide whether the governor's line-item vetoes defunding the Legislature violated the separation of powers clause of the Minnesota constitution as unconstitutionally coercive, determining that the Legislature had access to enough funds to function until the next legislative session and judicial restraint should be exercised. 

The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to decide whether the governor's line-item vetoes defunding the Legislature violated the separation of powers clause of the Minnesota constitution as unconstitutionally coercive, determining that the Legislature had access to enough funds to function until the next legislative session and judicial restraint should be exercised.

The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to decide whether the governor's line-item vetoes defunding the Legislature violated the separation of powers clause of the Minnesota constitution as unconstitutionally coercive, determining that the Legislature had access to enough funds to function until the next legislative session and judicial restraint should be exercised. However, the court found that the governor's vetoes did not violate the plain language of the state constitutional provision granting veto powers to the governor or the separation of powers clause by effectively abolishing the Legislature.

The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to decide whether the governor's line-item vetoes defunding the Legislature violated the separation of powers clause of the Minnesota constitution as unconstitutionally coercive, determining that the Legislature had access to enough funds to function until the next legislative session and judicial restraint should be exercised. However, the court found that the governor's vetoes did not violate the plain language of the state constitutional provision granting veto powers to the governor or the separation of powers clause by effectively abolishing the Legislature. 