The Governor called the Senate back to the Capitol today for a second special session. In response, Senate Republicans presented a resolution intended to eliminate the Governor’s peacetime emergency powers initially enacted to prepare the state for the COVID-19 pandemic. If the House agrees, it would put an end to the state’s longest peacetime emergency in history. Walz first put the state under emergency powers on March 13, 2020.

“Governor Walz continues to extend his emergency powers beyond their original intention,” said Senator Carrie Ruud (R-Breezy Point). “We prepared our state for the projected surge and now we are focused on recovering from the economic impact of the Governor’s extended business closures. It is time to put decision-making back into the hands of local government and the legislature as we move forward.”

The vote to end the peacetime emergency was 36-31, with one Democrat joining Republicans in support of the resolution.