It’s hard to believe, but in just over a week (1/5/21) the Minnesota Legislature begins its 2021 regular session. It’s been less than two weeks since lawmakers were at the State Capitol for their seventh special session of the year, prompted by Governor Tim Walz’s extension of his COVID emergency powers. They passed a relief package for bars, restaurants and other establishments temporarily closed by the governor’s emergency order, plus a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits.
The debate over the governor’s emergency directives will certainly continue when state lawmakers go back into regular session January 5th. And — another important piece of work — they must set the state’s next two-year budget in these highly uncertain economic times.