The House and Senate both started today's special session with a Sept. 11 remembrance.
Now both chambers are moving to resolutions that would end Gov. Tim Walz's emergency powers.
Both would have to vote to end them, which won't happen. #mnleg
In the Senate, Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says "We’re not in an emergency. 9/11 was an emergency...We do not minimize the fact that COVID-19 is serious."
The Senate votes 36-31 as expected to end Gov. Walz’s emergency powers (Eken again is only lawmaker on either side to break ranks).
The debate is still going in the House, but Democrats there have vowed to uphold Walz’s powers.
In a voice vote, the Minnesota Senate confirms Bureau of Mediation Services Commissioner Janet Johnson.
She is just the third Walz commissioner to be confirmed in the first 20 months of his term.
Now comes the day's drama.
The Senate is taking up Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley's confirmation. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says he'll vote against Kelley.
Gazelka blames Kelley for suing to block the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline in northern Minnesota.
"This commissioner is not working out," Gazelka says he told Gov. Walz last week.
NEW: State Rep. Fue Lee, DFL-Minneapolis, reveals that he contracted the coronavirus a month ago and stopped himself from attending last month's special session.
He says 20 of his family members have tested positive and his 76-year-old father has been hospitalized twice. #mnleg
NEW: The Minnesota House votes 67-64 to block an effort to end Gov. Walz's emergency powers.
The powers will stay in place for another month. #mnleg
The House adjourns sine die after a roughly three-hour session.
On a 33-31 vote, Senate Republicans reject Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley.
Kelley is the second Walz commissioner the Senate has fired in a month.
The Senate has adjourned the fourth special session sine die.
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said before adjournment that he thinks there could be a deal on a bonding bill by Sept. 21. That would require another special session to pass.
Gov. Tim Walz says Republicans “tried to pretend that COVID isn’t real” during today’s special session.
Walz says he hasn’t decided on Steve Kelley’s replacement at Commerce.
During a brief Q&A with reporters, he would not say if he’d call lawmakers back for another special session later this month on a bonding bill.
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