Friends and Neighbors,

Last week we voted to remove Governor Walz’s emergency powers for the second time. The Governor called the Senate back to the Capitol July 12th for a second special session. In response, we 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 also passes the resolution, 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 testing and positive cases recently 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 thousand are dropping as well.  These facts demonstrate that emergency powers are no longer needed. Minnesotans are quite capable of continuing their own protective measures.

This pandemic is not historic and unprecedented, but Governor Walz’s emergency powers response is. It is like the fire department staying onsite until the house is rebuilt. l have heard from my constituents that they feel like they are being treated like children – micromanaged by Governor Walz. The Governor needs to relinquish his emergency powers and restore the balance between the branches of government. 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 arbitrarily controlled 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 MN approach.

I will continue to contest the extension of his powers on behalf of the communities I represent. We are made up counties and towns of different sizes, not just one big city. We need to get back to the legislative process, so every member has the opportunity to properly represent their communities. It is time to trust the people of Minnesota and let them exercise their freedom and personal responsibility.

Mary Kiffmeyer

State Senator
District 30