SINE DIE II - Special Session 1

Gov. Tim Walz calls the special session to have his peacetime emergency extended by the legislature. This would also give the House and Senate the opportunity to agree on three major issues. These issues are a COVID-19 local relief package, police reform and accountability and bonding for major construction projects. The Senate set June 19 as a deadline to get this done while the House hoped to have agreement before or by July 4. The special session began with the House and Senate disagreeing on extending the governor’s peacetime emergency power. This put any bonding agreement for major construction projects around the state in jeopardy. Then after eight days of no agreements on the three major issues the Senate, at 6AM on June 20, adjourned sine die ending the 2020 Special Session. When will Gov. Walz call another special session? That will be determined by whether all the parties on these issues can reach agreements.