(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Legislature was called to special session once again this month. It is required by statute to vote on Governor Walz’s emergency powers relative to the COVID-19 pandemic; I and the Senate majority voted once again to end the powers, though the House chose otherwise. We are currently living though the state’s longest peacetime emergency in history. The Governor first put the state under emergency powers on March 13, 2020.
The major issues this special session were COVID relief, school decisions for the fall, and a bonding/tax bill.
Several COVID relief bills were at stake this special session, all of which failed in the House or were simply not brought to the floor for a vote. The bills were funded by either the Federal CARES Act or the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, meaning they added no additional expense to the state.
The first was a bill to provide relief to dentists’ offices who provide care for Medicaid-covered patients and are burdened by the high expense of the personal protective equipment. To fix this, the Senate passed Senate File 2, a bill to appropriate up to $5 million of federal COVID-19 aid to dentists who continue to serve patients utilizing Medical Assistance. Likewise, the Senate passed a relief package with for day service providers with a unanimous vote. Day service providers are absolutely crucial for those living with a disability; they provide resources for those with special needs to live with as much autonomy as possible. Again, the House of Representatives refused to bring the bill to the floor.
As many are aware, schools are struggling to determine their plans for the fall. The Senate voted on a resolution to make sure that the governor’s emergency powers are not used to make one unilateral decision for the state regarding school opening. We also attempted passage of aid funding from federal dollars to help schools adjust to more rigorous health and safety standards. Children and the areas they live are unique, and unilateral, blanket mandates do not serve them well – the school districts are much better administrators, in this case.
The Senate passed a practical bonding bill during the regular session, which was not taken up by the other body. We continued working on the bill through both special sessions, and it was filled with projects throughout the state that would increase jobs and better our infrastructure. Unfortunately, through negotiations, it became filled with fiscally irresponsible pet projects, which the bill in the House. Thus, we ended the session without voting on a bonding bill.
For the third time, legislation was passed in the Senate aimed at improving wait times for Minnesotans taking driver’s tests and written permit tests. The bill, Senate File 4, would allow written permit tests to be offered at deputy registrar offices, high schools, libraries, or other third-party locations. Providing permit tests at these additional locations will cut down on lines at Department of Vehicle Services (DVS) locations, reduce scheduling at testing centers, and allow DVS to focus on scheduling the thousands of people waiting to get their driver’s license. Thankfully, this bill passed in both bodies and was signed into law by the governor.
It’s important to stay informed on state politics, and I encourage anyone who wants more information to contact their representatives. The decisions made at the Capitol effect everyone, which is why I believe the governor should refrain from extending emergency powers any longer. He is passing mandates that carry fines and potential imprisonment penalties – nothing so severe should be decided by one man alone.