Minnesota lawmakers strike a deal

A budget deal was reached on July 20 by Minnesota lawmakers that will reopen state government after nearly three weeks of a shutdown, the Associated Press reports.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed a budget bill that will put about 22,000 inactive state workers back to work.

A compromise was reached by the state House and Senate at 3:30 a.m. July 20 in a special session -- the Democrats gave up on tax increases and the Republicans agreed to soften spending cuts with $1.4 billion in new revenue, the news service said.