The Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate has again voted to end Governor Tim Walz’s COVID emergency powers, but the measure won’t pass the Democrat-controlled House. Republican Senator Jerry Relph from Saint Cloud argues the time has ended “for the emergency to be dealt with on the basis of one person [the governor] making decisions whether our kids should go back to school, whether businesses should be open.” But Shoreview Democrat Jason Isaacson says states that have taken a chance and loosened their COVID rules “are clearly paying the price for it now. And they’re not paying the price for it just economically. They’re paying the price for it with people’s lives.”
When the governor extends his emergency authority 30 days, as he did today, he must give the legislature the opportunity to say “no” — but both the House and Senate must agree.