Bill Allowing Businesses to Stay Open With No State Imposed Limitations Passes First Committee

(KNSI) – A bill allowing businesses to be open with no state-imposed limitations, provided the business owner maintains a COVID-19 preparedness plan has passed its first committee.

Author of the bill, Senator Andrew Matthews says it would allow owners to open their doors at their own pace and trust that they will operate safely for employees and customers alike. The bill would also strip Governor Tim Walz of his powers to close businesses without the OK from two-thirds of the legislature and put a 14 day notification period in place after the vote, allowing businesses to get ready for closure. It passed the Senate Jobs Committee Wednesday.

Matthews accused the governor of meddling in livelihoods and cutting out the voice of the people by taking decision-making out of the hands of elected officials.

In a statement from the Senate Republican Caucus, Matthews says, “It’s time to put more trust in our local businesses, and allow them to safely operate without fear of another future unilateral shutdown by Executive Order, and each city, county, or community has different needs. Many business owners already had safety plans ready to go long before the governor and his agencies gave them permission to reopen last spring. The data has shown that the shutdown did not impact case numbers in the way Walz claimed. It just hurt Minnesotans in every part of the state, and especially out in rural and small-town Minnesota. It’s time to free business owners from the fear of future shutdowns.”

He says the governor’s emergency powers have gone on for too long and calls it unconstitutional.

Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency last March to allow the state to rule by executive order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current peacetime emergency goes through February 12th.