St. Paul – Today, the members of the New House Republican Caucus introduced a resolution to end the Governor’s peacetime emergency declaration. The resolution will put an end to the executive orders that Governor Tim Walz has issued to this point. In turn, the resolution will allow elected members of the Minnesota Legislature to vote on what rules, orders or policy should be put in place to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a question of constitutional process,” said Rep. Cal Bahr (Republican-East Bethel). “The
Governor’s thirty-day peacetime emergency order has come to an end. Now, the Minnesota Legislature should decide what executive orders should be codified, and which should not. Our constitution entrusts the co-equal branches of government to make decisions, not the Governor alone. Our institutions are strong enough to handle this crisis.”
“The Governor’s executive orders were well-intentioned and designed to protect public health. We commend him for that,” said Rep. Tim Miller (Republican-Prinsburg). “However, the longterm use of these executive orders, and the social isolation they create, has caused harmful unintended consequences. What was good policy many weeks ago has now created heavy burdens for many people. Minnesotans are entitled to weigh in on the Governor’s actions.”
Additionally, the resolution will allow the Minnesota Legislature to strike a proper balance between protecting public health and revitalizing a slowing economy.
“The Governor’s executive orders have already upended our state’s economy,” said Rep. Steve Drazkowski (Republican-Mazeppa). “While they were intended to save lives, they have destroyed livelihoods. Businesses have shut down permanently, record numbers of people have filed for unemployment, and those trends will only worsen if we stay on the current path. I fear that the Governor’s actions have created a severe recession. The Governor should not be allowed to steamroll the economy without the consent of the people.”
##