SE Twin Cities

State Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Vernon Center) voted in support of ending Gov. Tim Walz's emergency powers regarding the COVID-19 pandemic during a recent Senate meeting.

"Earlier today I voted to remove the governor’s emergency powers," Rosen said in a news release. "The virus has not hit rural Minnesota the way it has the metro, and it is completely unfair to treat us like it has."

Rosen said she hopes Walz will visit other communities around the state to see how they are handling the coronavirus.

"In a floor speech last month, I encouraged the governor to come visit our communities in southern Minnesota and other Greater Minnesota districts around the state to see what’s happening on the ground," Rosen said. "I hope he takes me up on that suggestion, because by-and-large his closures have been causing the devastation, not the virus."

This was the second time the Minnesota Senate has voted to end Walz's peacetime emergency powers pertaining to the pandemic. The vote was 36 to 31 with all 35 Republicans supporting the resolution and one Democrat.

"It’s time for the governor to give up his powers and work with the legislature, so that we can address the unique needs of our individual districts and speed up the recovery process," Rosen said.