The justices, in a written ruling released Friday afternoon, agreed with House Democratic leaders and Secretary of State Steve Simon who argued that a quorum in the House was 68 members under the state constitution, not the 67 that Republicans claimed. The Supreme Court cited an article in the Minnesota Constitution as part of their reasoning.

In a major victory for Minnesota House Democrats Friday, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that 68 House members must be present for a quorum, which means the lower chamber has had no official proceedings during a Democratic boycott.

The stalemate between Democrats and Republicans in the Minnesota House headed into its third week on Monday, as DFL lawmakers continued a boycott that’s brought the chamber to a standstill. After party leaders failed to reach an agreement over the weekend,

An effort to expel embattled DFL Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell failed in the chamber on Monday. Republican Sen. Jordan Rasmusson of Fergus Falls introduced the motion to expel Mitchell, who last year was charged with burglary.

It was chaos times two on Monday at the Minnesota Capitol as Senate Republicans tried again to expel DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell of Woodbury, who has been charged with felony burglary. The House also remains at a stalemate with Democrats continuing their boycott.

Minnesota Senate Republicans tried to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, from the chamber Monday, arguing that her felony burglary charge restricts her from adequately representing her constituents and that the nature of the allegations is unbecoming of a Minnesota senator.