SAINT PAUL, MN – Ahead of an expected announcement this week by Governor Walz loosening Minnesota's COVID restrictions, Rep. Tony Albright, R-Prior Lake, is calling for transparent and concrete dates and/or metrics for the end of the peacetime emergency. Just this week, Florida lifted all remaining COVID restrictions, and Governors of Democrat states like New York and California have established target dates for the lifting of capacity limits and other COVID restrictions. Other deep-blue states like Connecticut lifted capacity limits starting as far back as March.
“Our families and businesses deserve to know the end game for the Governor’s emergency powers and COVID restrictions,” said Rep. Albright. “For too long, family celebrations have been postponed or even cancelled. Businesses can no longer afford to operate with capacity restrictions. The period of emergency is clearly over. The Governor has even indicated this through his discussions of a ‘pretty close to normal’ State Fair and by allowing thousands of spectators at sporting events. Emergency powers should not be used as an end of session bargaining chip. It’s time to give Minnesotans the assurance they need and set an end date for COVID restrictions and emergency powers.”
Rep. Albright and House Republicans have voted more than a dozen times to end the peacetime emergency, and have put forward numerous proposals to end or modify the Governor's Chapter 12 powers, as well as proposals to establish timelines and metrics that would end the peacetime emergency. Democrats have refused to advance those proposals in the House, and have even stonewalled proposals from their own party to wind down the Governor's emergency powers.