The path toward calling a special session of the Minnesota legislature is becoming more clear.
Setting the agenda had been muddled with Senate Republicans wanting to fire state health commission Jan Malcolm over her handling of the pandemic.
Sen. Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) told Blois Olson on the WCCO Morning News that he and other Senate Republicans recently met with Malcolm on those pandemic issues.
"We are willing to put any discussion regarding commissioner confirmations on hold at this time to get a special session done," he said, noting that it was important to have discussions directly with Malcolm.
He compared Malcolm's actions with those of state agriculture commissioner Thom Peterson since the pandemic began.
"Commissioner Peterson has done a great job reaching out, working together with stakeholders in Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate before decisions were made," Miller said. "We have not seen the same thing with Gov. Walz and commissioner Malcolm when it comes to their COVID mandates or their 15-plus months of executive order after executive order."
Walz has supported Malcolm during the pandemic.
Miller said he's optimistic a special session can take place to deal with bonus pay for front-line workers, as well as drought relief, the reworking of hospital regulations, relief for overworked nursing homes.
Senate Republicans hold a 34-31 majority in the upper chamber (with one independent), and could hold a vote to remove any member of a governor's cabinet at any time.