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 renew his emergency powers, maintaining control over our state’s recovery from COVID-19,” said Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Marys Point).  “His unilateral decision-making is prohibiting the legislature and local governments from properly representing their constituents and it is time we restore order to the legislative process and move forward together.”

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