Walz extends peacetime emergency, calls lawmakers back for special session
Governor Tim Walz speaks on Wednesday, June 10, calling a special session for the state legislature. (FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Gov. Tim Walz is calling the Minnesota Legislature back for a special session starting Friday to deal with the issues surrounding George Floyd's death and the coronavirus pandemic.
Walz is extending his peacetime emergency that gives him broad powers to handle the state's coronavirus response. Any extension required Walz to call lawmakers back to St. Paul.
After a governor calls a special session, it's up to lawmakers to decide how long it will last. Some lawmakers have speculated this special session could last months as they grapple with police accountability and economic recovery issues.
"We can leave when we get the people's work done," Walz told reporters Wednesday afternoon.