After a bipartisan vote, the Minnesota State Senate has adjourned for one week.
When the State Senate reconvenes on Monday, July 20, they hope that legislation aimed at improving police accountability as well as the bonding bill will be ready to pass. This means they have 7 days to work with the State House of Representatives to find compromise, according to KSTP-TV reporter Tom Hauser.
Agreeing to adjourn isn’t the only thing the State Senate has done recently. In March, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency to combat COVID-19. On Monday, he extended that emergency in what Republicans believe is a bid to maintain the sweeping executive powers he has leveraged as of late. Becuase of this, they Senate sought to end the emergency declaration on Monday, but failed, per MPR.
This marks the second time the Republican-controlled body has sought to nullify Walz’s state of emergency this session.
“There are many things that the governor has emergency powers over that we’re saying that must end, and we need to get back to a place where the House and Senate have equal footing with the executive branch,” Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said.
Unfortunately the Republicans who wanted to end the emergency declaration, Democrats blocked the vote. “Our governor is doing an excellent job,” said Democrat senator Jason Isaacson, per MPR.
“The narrative around this [shutdown] that not having the powers the Legislature would be able to act nimbly, I just don’t think is based in reality,” remarked Walz, speaking on the Republican’s attempt to revoke his emergency declaration.
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.
