The New House Republican Caucus introduced a resolution, Monday, to terminate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s emergency declaration and related executive orders.
The resolution, if passed, will turn control of the state’s response to COVID-19 over to the State Legislature. Representatives would then have the authority to decide which, if any, of Walz’s emergency executive orders will remain in place.
Walz has issued 35 executive orders pertaining to coronavirus since March 13, 2020.
“The Governor’s thirty-day peacetime emergency order has come to an end,” State Representative Cal Bahr notes in a press release associated with the new resolution.
“The Governor’s executive orders were well intentioned and designed to protect public health. We commend him for that,” says State Representative Tim Miller. “However, the long term 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,” he concludes.
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The resolution itself also acknowledges that “the governor’s intentions in declaring a peacetime emergency were honorable,” but that “good policy may go on too long, and a wise decision at one time may become
a burden at another.”
Members of the New Republican Caucus are adamant that the legislature will be able to maintain the positive elements of Walz’s response while also introducing an element of democracy to what has been, up to this point, a unilateral process.
“This legislature has already appropriated $519,120,000 to hospitals, medical professionals, first responders, and others to combat this disease. Now the legislature must make decisions on what sectors of the economy should be responsibly reopened,” notes State Representative Jeremy Munson.
“The time has come for the people’s house to reflect the voice of the people,” he adds.
Kyle Hooten
Kyle Hooten is Managing Editor of Alpha News. His coverage of Minneapolis has been featured on television shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and in print media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
