On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate voted for an eighth time on a resolution to end Governor Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency powers relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote aims to end the state’s longest peacetime emergency in history, which began when Gov. Walz first put the state under emergency powers more than a year ago, back on March 13, 2020.

“For the last year, Minnesotans have been left to rely on announcements and decisions from Governor Walz as to whether their businesses can be open, whether their kids can go to school, or whether they can even visit with family without violating an executive order,” Senator Jason Rarick (R-Pine City). “But despite a significant improvement in our state’s condition, the fact that we have prepared our health care system, or that as of this week the state will have 2 million vaccinations, Walz continues to rule with an iron fist. At some point, we must acknowledge that the Governor has gone past the intent of the emergency powers and that he should come back to the table and work with us.”

The vote to end the peacetime emergency was passed with bipartisan support. The resolution now heads to the House, where it requires majority support before it can be adopted.

Earlier this week, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation that would reassert a fair balance of governing power between the legislative branch and the executive branch during future states of emergency. That bill would require the Governor to obtain legislative approval to extend any emergency declaration beyond 30 days instead of the current system where the legislature needs to vote to end powers.