The Minnesota Legislature will probably have its third special session of 2020 this week. Governor Tim Walz will have to call lawmakers back to Saint Paul if he extends his COVID emergency powers another 30 days as expected. Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says the Senate will vote a third time to cancel the governor’s emergency authority. “We’re gonna do it every time because we don’t think the governor should have the emergency powers,” Gazelka says. “It’s never been this long.” But the Democrat-controlled Minnesota House will likely side with Walz and leave his COVID emergency powers in place.
Don’t expect any movement in the special session on a bonding bill for state public works projects. Lawmakers have pretty much agreed to leave that until at least September, to not interfere with this month’s sale of previously-approved bonds.