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    Title: Letter from Senator Jeremy Miller to Governor Walz regarding a potential special session
    Article Date: 10/15/2021
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    File: 20211015 Walz Letter- Special Session77.pdf 

    Text: October 15, 2021

    VIA ELECTRONIC DELIVERY

    The Honorable Tim Walz
    Governor of Minnesota
    130 State Capitol
    75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
    St. Paul, MN 55155

    Dear Governor Walz:

    Thank you for hosting last week's meeting with legislative leaders to discuss the importance of convening a special session. Senate Republicans agree that a special session would support frontline workers at the heart of our pandemic response and farmers who were hardest hit by this year's drought. As I've outlined in subsequent communications, we're hearing from people who are also concerned about the vaccination mandates recently imposed on Minnesota workers, the availability of personal medical information, and reforms to peacetime emergency powers. However, the authority to call a special session and complete this important work rests solely with you.

    Until the legislature terminated your peacetime emergency powers on July 1st, the executive branch took unilateral action for over 15 months. That's why the Senate passed SF 4 - preventing the extension of a peacetime emergency without legislative approval - on a bipartisan vote. This reform would ensure that the House, Senate, and Governor all remain part of our governing process. Consequently, I'm disappointed to learn that you are not willing to even consider our proposal to reform the emergency powers law during a special session. During times of crisis, it's more important than ever to show Minnesotans we can work together to find positive solutions.

    At this time, the only obstacle to addressing today's needs is your unwillingness to put frontline workers and farmers ahead of the job security of your cabinet. The Senate's constitutional authority of "advice and consent" to gubernatorial appointments cannot be limited in timing or scope. Your publicly-stated position that a special session will not be called without assurances regarding the future of agency heads is jeopardizing progress on issues important to Minnesotans. Only you can call a special session.

    Regards,

    Jeremy Miller
    Majority Leader
    Senate District 28

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