On Tuesday, the Senate’s State Government Finance & Policy Committee heard legislation that would reassert a fair balance of governing power between the legislative branch and the executive branch during future states of emergency. The bill would require the Governor to obtain legislative approval to extend any emergency declaration beyond 30 days.

This differs from current law, which allows the Governor to extend a peacetime emergency indefinitely for 30 days at a time and only grants the legislature the option to cancel emergency powers with a majority vote of both the House and Senate.

“As we near the year mark of the pandemic in Minnesota, the situation is much different than when Governor Walz first implemented his emergency powers last year,” said Senator Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake). “At this point, Minnesota is well beyond the ‘emergency’ portion of the outbreak. Still, Governor Walz refuses to give up his powers and work with the legislature in good faith.  These powers were never intended to give one person the rule of the land. Minnesotans expect us to work together, not just to beat the virus but to get our state back on track. This legislation ensures that everyone comes back to the table.”

Senate Republicans introduced the same legislation last session where it passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 36-31.

Other provisions included in the legislation:

• The bill requires the Governor to give three days’ notice to the majority and minority leaders of each body if they intend to extend a peacetime emergency when the legislature is not in session.

• The bill prohibits the Governor from canceling an emergency order and issuing a new declaration for the same emergency in order to avoid approval by the legislature.

• The bill clarifies that if the Governor declares two peacetime emergencies concurrently, the same legislative approval of any extension past 30 days is required for the second emergency.