State Budget Remains Unresolved, Agencies Prepare

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The gears for another potential partial shutdown of Minnesota government are in motion.

The Department of Minnesota Management and Budget mailed out some 9,450 layoff notices Monday to employees at agencies covered by incomplete budget legislation. Commissioner Myron Frans says the state has activated a contingency team and will notify some vendors next week that their payments could lapse starting July 1.

Gov. Mark Dayton and a split-party Legislature are at odds over how much to spend on education and how to structure a budget for the departments of agriculture, natural resources and some other operations. State parks could be closed and job training centers might also go dark.

A court could be asked to rule some functions critical.

Minnesota has had two other partial shutdowns since 2005.