Sen. Paul Utke reports that without the House's approval, Gov. Tim Walz will continue to exercise his emergency peacetime powers without oversight of the legislature. | Facebook
Sen. Paul Utke reports that without the House's approval, Gov. Tim Walz will continue to exercise his emergency peacetime powers without oversight of the legislature. | Facebook
Sen. Paul Utke, after concluding the fourth special legislative session this year, said this has been a "landmark year for both legislators and citizens."
During the special session, the Senate voted for the fourth time to end Gov. Tim Walz's peacetime emergency powers. Utke said Walz continues to make decisions without the consultation of the legislature, ignoring the needs of greater Minnesota.
"However, without a majority 'yes' vote from the House on this resolution, the governor will continue to exercise his unilateral emergency powers," Utke said in a Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus press release.
The Senate also voted to pass the Veterans Restorative Justice Act, a measure that would direct at-risk and nonviolent veteran offenders to probation and social service programs instead of jail. The same bill was passed in the Senate in August but did not pass in the House.
"I hope to see this bill passed and signed into law in the near future, as veteran court programs have an extremely high success rate for those that commit petty crimes and takes into account the mental health struggles of many veterans," Utke said.
Also during the special session, Commissioner Joseph Sullivan of the Public Utilities Commission, Commissioner Janet Johnson of the Bureau of Mediation Services were confirmed while Commissioner Stephen Kelley of the Minnesota Department of Commerce was removed from his role.
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