Dayton Rearranges Trade Mission to Accommodate Court Hearing

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is shaving some time off his upcoming trade trip to Mexico to be at a court hearing on the state's sex offender confinement program.

Dayton's office said Thursday he would be at the Aug. 10 court hearing on possible changes to the civil commitment program that a federal judge ruled unconstitutional. Judge Donovan Frank has asked the governor and legislative leaders to appear for the start of a remedy phase.

Dayton was supposed to leave a day earlier on a state trade mission. Deputy Chief of Staff Linden Zakula says the governor's travel schedule has been rearranged so Dayton can join up with other participants at a later date. Zakula says Dayton will miss some meetings in Mexico that couldn't be changed.