Sen. Paul Gazelka | Facebook
Sen. Paul Gazelka | Facebook
The Minnesota Senate has voted to end Gov. Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency powers, according to the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus (MNSRC) website.
The powers were put in place in response to COVID-19 on March 13. But now, the Senate has called for its end.
“It’s time to end the executive orders and let business and life open back up,” said Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, according to the MNSRC. “I supported the Governor back in March getting prepared just in case something happens. But the ‘just in case’ didn’t happen. We all know the value of social distancing and I have faith the people of Minnesota will continue acting safe, even without the government telling us to.”
Sen. Andrew Mathews (R-Milaca) also suggested the key issue with the order was that it limited residents and closed businesses, while most of the deaths from COVID-19 was lined to long-term care. He went on to use Wisconsin as a reference.
“Our neighbors in Wisconsin completely reopened weeks ago and continue to have lower rates and cases than we do. Continuance of his emergency powers is an insult to the people of Minnesota,” he said, according to MNSRC.
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