On Friday, the Minnesota Senate voted for a fourth time on a bipartisan resolution to end Governor Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency powers relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote aims to end the state’s longest peacetime emergency in history, which began when Gov. Walz first put the state under emergency powers back on March 13, 2020.

“Today’s vote is critical to return Minnesotans voices’ to government and to restore the role of the legislature in our democracy,” said Senator Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks). “Our state’s constitution is more than adequate to handle the pandemic, and at this point of the crisis, the legislature should be involved.  Unfortunately, Governor Walz views collaboration with citizens’ representatives as a hazard to be avoided. As evidenced by the many calls and messages to my office, and the novel yard signs blanketing my district, we are well past a period of emergency.”

The vote to end the peacetime emergency was passed with bipartisan support. The resolution now heads to the House, where it requires majority support before it can be adopted.