In a press conference Monday, Governor Walz announced the closure of bars and restaurants, limited to only carryout and drive thru, starting March 17 through March 27. At that time, it will be re-evaluated.

Senator Andrew Mathews (R-Princeton) issued the following statement in response –

“I understand Governor Walz wants to reduce the spread of coronavirus, and I appreciate that end goal.  Until this point, the measures that Governor Walz has taken have just affected the public sector. Today, it reached into the private sector, hitting the families employed at small businesses all over the district. Unilateral decisions rule out options for businesses and owners to make satisfactory adjustments on their own. The Legislature should have bipartisan input into executive decisions when they impact the lives of so many people. If this is limited to just ten days, perhaps the majority of small businesses could hang on and survive. If this drags on for weeks or months, I wonder if these actions will cause lasting damage.”