With Negotiations on Hold, Legislature Enters a Lull

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ All eyes at the Minnesota Legislature are on crafting a new budget, but you wouldn't know it from the pace at the Capitol.

With less than five weeks to go, the Legislature is entering a quiet period. While the Republican-controlled House and Senate have passed their own budgets, the final product will be negotiated with Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton. And it's unclear when those talks may begin.

That leaves most lawmakers in a holding pattern. Sen. Jim Abeler is a powerful Republican committee chair. But even he says the big work is happening ``above my pay grade.''

There won't be much activity in the meantime. Legislative leaders are hoping to pass a Real ID bill in the coming weeks to avoid domestic flight disruptions for Minnesotans.