 Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Guzelka says he thinks the end of the legislature's special session is near. Lawmakers were three days into a special session Thursday to finish the budget. The legislature failed to finalize a new two-year spending package by Monday night's midnight deadline and immediately entered an overtime session. Progress was slow throughout the week as Republican leaders at Governor Mark Dayton tried to put the final details on a budget deal in place, but the path looked to get tougher when the legislature resumed Thursday morning. Two Republican senators were gone, leaving the Senate short the votes it needed to pass budget bills. But Senate Majority Leader Paul Guzelka confirmed they would remove changes that angered Democrats over how union labor contracts are ratified from a financing bill for state government agencies. It's removal won over critical Democratic votes to pass the bill. The legislature was expected to continue holding final votes on remaining bills throughout Thursday night, and Guzelka says he's confident the legislature could finish the remaining measures overnight. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.