NC Minnesota News

The resolution to end Gov. Tim Walz's emergency powers passed 36 to 31 by the Minnesota Senate, with Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake) voting in favor of ending Walz's emergency power.  

“Yes, there is a pandemic, no, there is no longer an emergency. We had to make sure we had enough protective equipment. As time has gone on, we have put everything in place to respond. We planned, so there is no emergency," he said in a press release from the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus. “With the governor’s emergency powers, he decides alone whether or not schools can open, not the local districts. He alone gets to decide whether businesses are open or not. He can decide that you must wear a mask, rather than just wearing it because you think it’s wise. We need to get back to the place where the House and Senate are on equal footing with the executive branch.”

Senate Republicans wanted to make putting an end to the emergency powers a priority and they did just that after voting in favor of ending the powers for a third time. 

“We want to work with the governor. If we keep on this path, the governor could have emergency powers for a year, and that’s not the kind of authority he should have without the legislative branch giving our position," Gazelka said in the press release.