The Governor called the Senate back to the Capitol today for a second special session. In response, Senate Republicans introduced a resolution to eliminate the Governor’s peacetime emergency powers initially enacted to prepare the state for the COVID-19 pandemic. If the House also passes this resolution, 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.

“It is time for the emergency powers to end” said Sen. Andrew Mathews, (R-Princeton), “He has held on to this power for far too long, and is arbitrarily making decisions in a one-size-fits-all method with no regard for his impact on the rest of our state.  The Constitution never intended for one branch of government to cut out the others and rule everything unilaterally.  He has controlled when people can leave their homes, open their businesses, attend church services, and whether schools can be open for in-classroom learning.  He continue to weigh whether to add additional restrictions on Minnesotans even now.  It’s time for this craziness to end.”

The vote to end peacetime emergency passed the Minnesota Senate by a vote of 36-31.