Republican state representatives are honoring a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that the House must have 68 members present to conduct business. But Democratic-Farmer-Labor members say they still won’t show up at the Capitol until the sides reach a power-sharing agreement. House Republicans convened at the Capitol Monday and adjourned soon after DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon ruled there weren’t enough members to move forward with the floor session. GOP members also canceled committee hearings for the day. In a post-session briefing with reporters, Republican leaders called on DFL representatives to end their boycott, but they vacated the chamber soon after. It was a different scene on Jan. 14, when the 67 sitting House Republicans, using what may be a temporary majority, moved forward with electing Rep. Lisa Demuth as speaker of the House after Simon adjourned the session. They also appointed committee chairs and started hearing bills. Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, left, and Minnesota state Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring. (Courtesy photo, Forum News Service) Stalemate continues With the court’s decision last week all their actions are nullified. Last Friday the Supreme Court ruled there must be 68 members present — a majority of the 134 total seats — in order for there to be a quorum. Republicans had argued they only needed a majority of 133 current members. With the 66 DFL members still apparently unified in not showing up, the partisan stalemate continues at the Capitol in a year where lawmakers must pass a two year budget with tens of billions of dollars in spending or risk a government shut down after June 30. Republican members are expected to return again Tuesday, and unless at least one DFLer shows up it’ll be a repeat of Monday. Asked by a reporter in an online news conference if she thought this routine would continue into March, when a special election is scheduled in a DFL-dominated district, House DFL Caucus Leader and Speaker Designate Melissa Hortman said she remained optimistic about negotiations. “I don’t think it’s very likely. I think both Republicans and Democrats are anxious to work together. And I think the Minnesota Supreme Court decision clarified things,” Hortman said. “My hope would be for sure by the end of the week, if not tomorrow.” Demuth on Monday repeated GOP calls for DFLers to come to the Capitol — though if even one showed up it would remove their ability to bargain as Republicans would get their way. “For Democrats now on week three, not showing up for work, really set any type of conversation behind,” she said. For now, it appears the only tool the GOP has to make House DFLers return is agreeing to allow a previously-negotiated power-sharing agreement to go into effect if and when a 67-67 partisan tie returns. Many expect that to happen after a pending special election for a seat where a DFL representative-elect had to resign after a judge found there was enough evidence to prove he didn’t live in the Roseville-area district he won, District 40B in Roseville. That’s why the GOP has a 67-66 majority right now, though without a quorum of 68 members they can’t take any action in the House. The Minnesota Constitution says members of the House can “compel” absent members to attend, but it’s unclear how Republicans could actually do that as law enforcement isn’t empowered to do so in the state. Republicans have discussed motions to deprive House DFLers of pay, but they can’t pass it because Simon continues to adjourn the session, something now backed by the state Supreme Court order. Status of negotiations Hortman said she and Demuth reopened negotiations after Friday’s court ruling and had discussions over the weekend. Hortman said she hoped Republicans might agree to an arrangement discussed before the vacancy in 40B upended the 67-67 tie delivered in the November election where the parties split control of committees and the speakership is somehow be shared. DFLers have offered an arrangement where the GOP could act as a majority while the House remains at 67-66. Power sharing would resume if a 67-67 tie returns. Hortman said Republicans have still not accepted that offer. That’s not the only sticking point. Republicans also continue to signal that they might not seat Shakopee DFL Rep. Brad Tabke even after a judge ruled he was eligible to take the District 54A seat in Shakopee despite 20 missing absentee ballots in the race. Last week, Tabke’s Republican challenger Aaron Paul announced he didn’t plan to appeal the ruling, though he still questioned the election results and called for another election. Related Articles Politics | Republicans in the Minnesota Senate fail to get vote to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell over burglary charge Politics | Letters: The DFL boycotters are presumed unable to serve. Call special elections immediately Politics | Minnesota Supreme Court sides with DFL in struggle over House control Politics | Minnesota lawmakers take aim at fraud with series of bills Politics | MN Supreme Court hears DFL, GOP arguments in House control case