After the November election, the DFL and GOP were evenly split at 67 members each and were in the process of negotiating a power-sharing agreement for the next two years. But in l

House Republicans on Thursday said they are filing a lawsuit with the Minnesota Supreme Court to compel boycotting Democratic-Farmer-Labor House members back to the Capitol by fining them. House Democrats have been deliberately staying away from the Capitol for more than two weeks — since Jan.

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.

The Minnesota Supreme Court sided with the DFL in a power struggle with Republicans that the chief justice said had left the state House of Representatives “completely dysfunctional.”

Minnesota’s supreme court sided with the Democrats, ruling that 68 house members — a majority of the 134-seat chamber — must be present to establish a quorum.

The Minnesota House began its third deadlocked week due to a Democratic boycott over a power struggle with House Republicans. The state House GOP argues that it can rule with its 67-66 majority after successfully challenging the residency of a Democratic representative.