ST. PAUL – State Rep. Steve Green, R-Fosston, said House Democrats may, as soon as Thursday, increase the voting threshold required for the Legislature to end the governor’s emergency powers, a move Green indicated he strongly opposes.
Green said the peacetime emergency Gov. Tim Walz declared around 10 months ago is the longest in state history. Walz has issued more than 100 executive orders in that span. House Republicans have sought numerous times the last several months to end his unilateral powers, only to have Democrats in a comfortable majority block those efforts on the House floor.
Republicans cut into the Democrats’ House majority in the November election. Green said Democrats now may respond by requiring not just a simple majority, but a super majority vote in the House to end the governor’s powers.
“We now stand a chance to get the votes needed to stop the governor’s one-man rule, but Democrats want to make that more difficult,” Green said. “It is clear Democrats do not want the governor’s unilateral powers to end and they would rather have one person calling the shots instead of 134 legislators putting their election certificates to good use by participating in the process. If House Democrats succeed, Minnesotans will be silenced for a minimum of two more years.
“Republicans need the support of the people of Minnesota now. Our best chance to stop this is by contacting all House Democrats. I am dug in and will be speaking out strongly against their efforts. Please join me in demanding they do not silence your voice.”
Green said contact information for legislators can be found at www.house.mn.
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