The Governor called the Senate back to the Capitol today for a second special session. In response, Senate Republicans passed a resolution to end 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.

While this week testing and positive cases increased, it is more important to note that our ICU/Hospitalization rates have greatly decreased and our deaths are now in the low single digits. The percent of positive tests per hundred thousands are dropping as well.  These facts demonstrate that emergency powers are no longer needed. Minnesotans are quite capable of continuing their own protective measures.

“The Governor needs to relinquish his emergency powers and restore the balance between the branches of government,” said Senator Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake). “He initially used his emergency powers to prepare our state for the projected surge of COVID-19 cases, but he has taken it too far. For months he has used his powers to arbitrarily control the reopening of our state, keeping some businesses closed while others opened. Now as we face the upcoming school year, it is past time to reestablish local control and allow each school district to decide how they want to proceed next year. Governor Walz cannot and has not represented our whole state with his metro-focused, one-size-fits-all Minnesota approach. I will continue to contest the extension of his powers on behalf of the communities I represent.”