On March 31, 2020, Governor Tim Walz rejected a call by Senate Republicans to take down a hotline that allows people to report violations of the governor’s stay-at-home order. Governor Walz stated that the hotline “allows people just to try and keep their neighbors safe and serves an “educational function if people see someone who isn’t informed about the stay-at-home order.”

Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) issued the following response:

“I vehemently disagree with Governor Walz on the effectiveness of this hotline. Rather than serve as a resource, this hotline will only spread fear and mistrust amongst neighbors and communities. We are not a communist country, and we have constitutional rights here in the United States of America. Rather than cause neighbors to spy on neighbors, we should trust Minnesotans to use their common sense. If a neighbor is not following the social distancing, talk to that neighbor, have a discussion. In a time when our communities should be coming together, this will drive them apart. I hope that Governor Walz will abolish this hotline and put the resources to better causes like supporting Minnesotans who are struggling to receive and find benefits while coping with the COVID-19 epidemic.”