A rundown of court filings on government shutdown
The list of officials and groups that have filed court papers on the impending government shutdown is growing.
It's up to the courts to decide which government jobs and services continue if lawmakers and Gov. Mark Dayton fail to reach a budget agreement by July 1.
Here's a recap of who's petitioned Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin so far. The court is posting petitions as they get them here.
Attorney General Lori Swanson:
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Swanson's first petition was filed on June 13, and includes a list of services that she believes should continue to operate during a shutdown, including prisons, sex offender treatment, veterans homes and health care programs that get support from the state.
Her second petition was filed on June 17. In it, she requests that the state's court system remain open during a shutdown.
Gov. Mark Dayton:
On June 15, Dayton filed his own request. His list also includes prisons and other public safety activities as well as emergency highway repair, and programs for the poor, elderly and disabled.
Of note: While Dayton argues in his petition that health care providers who treat patients on state health insurance plans, including hospitals and nursing homes, should operate during a shutdown, he's also argued that those facilities shouldn't get reimbursed until officials reach a budget deal.
The Minnesota Association of Treatment Programs:
On June 17, this coalition of drug addiction treatment providers asked the court to ensure that funding for the programs they administer would continue to flow during a shutdown. If funding - and therefore treatment - stalled, patients in detox programs could experience serious adverse health effects, the group argues.
Care Providers of Minnesota, Inc. and Aging Services of Minnesota:
These two groups, which represent the nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other organizations that rely on Medicare and Medicaid payments from the state to operate, are asking the court to deem those payments "critical" during a shutdown. They argue a discontinuation of payments, which Dayton's petition suggests, would be a violation of federal and Minnesota constitutions.
You can read the entire petition, filed June 20 here.
The Minnesota State Board of Public Defense
This group, which represents people who can't afford their own lawyer, has asked to remain open during a government shutdown, according to a document filed June 21 with the Ramsey County Court. Read more here.
Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota, Minnesota Development Achievement Center Association, and the Minnesota Habilitation Coalition
Three organizations that represent group homes and training facilities want to be deemed critical during a shutdown, and are asking the Ramsey County Court to keep Medicaid money flowing. The groups say that without those funds, they will not be able to pay employees or provide services for the developmentally and physically disabled patients they house and train. Here's more.