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.

“The emergency declaration was made so we could prepare for the projected surge and flatten the curve,” said Senator Jerry Relph (R-St. Cloud). “Those goals have been accomplished and we no longer have any need for the emergency to be dealt with unilaterally by Governor Walz. It is time for the Governor’s emergency powers to come to an end. Decisions such as whether our kids should go back to school, what businesses should be open, and more, should be made by the collective voices of Minnesotans and their representatives, not just one person.”

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