The 2005 Minnesota state government shutdown was a

government shutdown A government shutdown occurs when the legislative branch does not pass key bills which fund or authorize the operations of the executive branch, resulting in the cessation of some or all operations of a government. Government shutdowns in the Un ...

affecting the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...

, the first in the history of the state. The shutdown was the result of a fiscal dispute between the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Governor

Tim Pawlenty Timothy James Pawlenty (; born November 27, 1960) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 39th governor of Minnesota from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, Pawlenty served in the Minnesota House o ...

and

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...

majority, and the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) majority in the

state Senate A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...

, that was not resolved by the

constitutional A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these prin ...

deadline on June 30. The Republicans and the DFL disagreed over how much would be spent on state healthcare programs and public schools, and what sources of revenue would be used for this funding. During the shutdown, many non-essential state government programs were closed, and about 8,900 state employees were furloughed. The shutdown lasted nine days, until the legislature passed, and the governor signed, a 'lights-on' temporary authorization of spending, followed by a compromise budget agreement. In 2011, there was another government shutdown lasting 20 days.

References

Government of Minnesota State budgets of the United States 2005 in American politics 2005 in Minnesota Minnesota state government shutdown Government shutdowns in the United States {{US-poli-stub