MN Government Updates 07.16

Walz Press Conference

This afternoon, Governor Tim Walz and other state leaders held a press conference following a tour of the Highway 93 flood improvement project in Henderson.

Walz used the visit to promote the importance of passing a bonding bill during the special session. The governor said he was optimistic about passing a bonding bill because communities around the state are demanding it and costs will go up if projects aren’t addressed. Walz said he has offered the legislature 30 executive orders for them to take over to satisfy the House Republican Caucus position that the governor must end his peacetime emergency powers in order for a bonding bill to pass the House. The governor also suggested he may make some modifications to his peacetime emergency powers in the near future. Additionally, he mentioned that negotiations are happening simultaneously on police accountability measures and a supplemental budget as well.

The governor said his administration is still talking about a mask mandate and that the state hitting a 5% positivity rate is a key threshold in his decision-making. According to Minnesota Public Radio, the seven-day case positivity rate is at 4.3%.

As it relates to an announcement about how schools will operate in the fall, the governor said that a decision will be made public by July 27. Previously, state officials had said the announcement would come during the week of July 27.

Amos A. Briggs | Government Relations
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