ST. PAUL — Thought the dust was starting to settle on the political feud over Minnesota’s new Senate Office Building? Think again.

Senate Minority Leader David Hann hinted last week that his members wouldn’t automatically lug their desks, chairs and office plants next year into the new $90 million legislative building erected over GOP objections. As it turns out, there’s nothing requiring the Senate GOP to relocate to a building they considered unnecessary and lavish. The caucus could try to make a political point by refusing to leave the 83-year-old State Office Building.

“If I’m given a choice, my choice is to stay right where we are,” Sen. David Osmek, R-Mound, said Tuesday. “I like being in that historic building. We have plenty of room for the staff that we have.”

In an interview Monday, Department of Administration Commissioner Matt Massman acknowledged he has no authority to force Senate Republicans from their existing quarters. And Massman, whose department is the custodian for state government buildings, said there is no concrete plan for immediately converting space Republicans would leave behind into something new.

Massman said it would take an agreement between House and Senate leaders and Gov. Mark Dayton to re-allocate the space.