Stay at Home Order Extended
Last week, Governor Walz extended his Stay at Home order until May 4th. I've heard from many people in our community whose lives and businesses have been turned upside-down by these orders, and I share many of your concerns. Legislators have been appealing to the administration daily for exemptions, flexibility, and common sense in his approach to keeping Minnesotans safe while also keeping the economy afloat. If a business can operate while keeping their customers and employees safe, they should be allowed to do that.
The Governor did allow some businesses in the areas of lawn care, landscaping, agricultural equipment repair, garden centers, nurseries, and others to reopen, and said he would continue to consider reopening other sectors that can operate safely. I hope the Governor will listen to the concerns of the small businesses our economy relies on as he determines which businesses are able to operate.
If you are unclear whether you are currently considered an "essential business", you can email CriticalSectors@state.mn.us to get a determination from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
Extended State of Peacetime Emergency
Today, the Governor amended a previous executive order to extend our Peacetime State of Emergency another 30 days, until May 13th. I've been asked by many what the legislature is doing to keep these powers in check. In Minnesota Statutes Chapter 12.31, a mechanism is established to terminate the Governor's emergency executive powers with a majority vote in the House and the Senate.
The Governor doesn't need the legislature to approve an extension while we are in session. However, if he chooses to extend his powers another 30 days while the legislature is not in session, he is also required to immediately call a special session so the legislature can vote to terminate the emergency powers if we choose or conduct other legislative business as needed.
New Executive Order
On Friday evening, the Governor issued a new executive order that gives our law enforcement officers, first responders, and firefighters access to COVID-19 premise information that could prove critical to keeping them safe. This means that if officers respond to a call to an address where there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19, they would be given that information so they can take adequate precautions to protect themselves from contracting the virus. This will help our first responders, especially in rural areas, to preserve the already-scarce personal protective equipment (PPE) for the calls where they know they will need it.
It is important to note that this order does not identify individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. When the Public Safety Committee heard a presentation from representatives of law enforcement about this issue, we raised concerns about ensuring that our first responders are protected while still protecting the privacy of individuals and ensuring that we are not in violation of HIPAA.
If you have questions or concerns about the Executive Order, please contact the Governor’s office since the language in the Executive Order came from Governor Walz’s office in consultation with state agencies and representatives of first responders.
|
