KEYC - Mankato News, Weather, Sports - - The Reconfigured Legislature Convenes on Tuesday

With the state budget taking precedence as Minnesota lawmakers will try and work out a solution to financial difficulties.

DFL Rep. Kathy Bynaert says, "We have a lot of work to do and we really expect to engage it really intensely energetically and first and foremost our responsibility is the budget as optimistic as we are with a range of things we start the session in a deficit and that's a tough place to start no matter who's in charge."

Tony Cornish says, "The DFL is going to know first hand what's it's like to have a whole line of people that want money but you have a deficit so this we'll be a shocker to them. All the promises that they've made that we're going to take care funding education, this and that. They'll see a stark reality really soon."

While this is a new year, there will be some new faces since Democrats regained control. For the first time in 22 years, they're in charge of both chambers and the governor's mansion after sweeping the Republicans out of control.

Cornish says, "I think the reality that the only bargaining chip the GOP will have is the bonding bill because they need a lot of votes for that, they can pass it on their own."

While they'll want to move forward with a comprehensive bonding bill Other debates will include implementing the state rollout of the federal health care law and proposals to legalize gay marriage after Minnesota voters rejected a proposed constitutional ban.

Bynaert says highway 14 remains an ongoing concern and the civic center will be back on the table as well.