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By Dana Ferguson, Minnesota Public Radio News

A nearly four-week standoff over control in the Minnesota House appears to be near an end, with Democrats and Republicans planning to announce a deal on Thursday. The House has been unable to convene as Democrats have boycotted since the Jan. 14 session start and Republicans couldn’t muster the 68 members to conduct business.

A brief statement released Wednesday night said that leadership had reached an agreement after closed-door talks. They said it would allow the House to organize on Thursday with full details being withheld for now.

If it holds up, that could head off a planned Minnesota Supreme Court hearing in the latest lawsuit over the stalemate. Republicans were seeking a pathway to punish Democrats over their holdout.

House Leaders Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, have been leading the private talks but other members have been brought in help mediate a solution.

The issues had been a sticking point for weeks as the leaders prepared to begin the 2025 legislative session. A Minnesota Supreme Court ruling in January formally setting the standard for a quorum — the threshold for the chamber to do its business — at 68 votes.

Republicans hold 67 seats to 66 for the DFL. A special election on March 11 will determine if there is a tie or if Republicans have an outright majority.

The court cases helped drive leaders back to the table for discussions. Democrats were seeking assurances that if the House is tied that there would be joint control and they wanted a guarantee that Republicans wouldn’t try to remove Rep. Brad Tabke, a DFLer who won a close race in Shakopee.

Republicans wanted Democrats to recognize that they have more votes right now and should be able to run committee hearings and floor debates until circumstances change.

Lawmakers have about four months left in the legislative session to write a two-year budget and advance other policies that arise as priorities.