Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka held a press conference today offering a different tone on the legislature's priority of ending Walz' Emergency Powers. Gazelka was joined on stage by Senator Jeff Howe and Rep Barb Haley, who co-authored a bill that would end Walz' current Emergency Powers. According to SF2559, Governor Walz would lose an emergency that "apply to the COVID-19 infectious disease outbreak" beginning on July 1st or when 70% of Minnesotans are vaccinated, whichever comes first.

The bill allows the Minnesota Dept of Health to continue working with the federal government on the state's vaccination program. It allows Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm to "declare a public health disaster if the commissioner determines that the state must take action to protect the public health." 

Howe's bill also falls short of reforming Chapter 12 Emergency Powers, which is what State Rep Erik Mortensen's Never Again Bill does. "This bill does not do anything to Chapter 12...if another event happens, another pandemic, tornado or flood, [the Governor] could declare another emergency" stated Sen Howe.

Action 4 Liberty has called on the legislature to refuse to pass a budget that would fund Walz' Emergency Powers unless the Never Again Bill is passed and signed into law. This is the only way to truly end Walz' current Emergency Powers and make sure it never happens again.

According to the press conference, Republicans are starting to sound tougher about not agreeing to a budget deal unless Walz' Emergency is removed.

Watch the press conference here:

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