Legislative Update- March 30, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this finds you all well as you practice the, “Safe at Home Measures”.  These are certainly unprecedented times, with each of us learning to make new adjustments at home, at work, and in our personal relationships. It can be an anxious and stressful time, and we will continue to do everything we can to ease that burden for Minnesota families by providing the necessary logistical and financial supports. For some, this is also a time to cherish time at home with loved ones, slow down our busy lives, and just breathe. I hope you are all able to use this time to catch up with loved ones and friends (remotely!) to ease this hectic time.

Last Thursday my colleagues and I returned to the State Capitol – practicing MDH’s physical distancing guidelines– to enact a bipartisan, comprehensive package of legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill created a new $200 million COVID-19 Fund in the state treasury to enable state agencies to respond to COVID-19 related challenges. It also included $9 million to the Department of Human Services for emergency food shelf funding, $26.5 million for the Emergency Service Grants program to provide shelter for Minnesota’s homeless population, $30 million in one-time grants to child care providers, $10 million for small business loans, financial relief for displaced workers, and the necessary flexibility for state agencies to respond to the pandemic.

Federal Action for Small Businesses and Workers

The federal stimulus package that passed over the weekend does a couple significant things regarding small business relief and unemployment insurance. First, the benefit period is extended from 26 weeks to 39 weeks, which helps those whose benefits are about to expire. Second, it provides additional benefits of $600 per to week to unemployed workers, which are added to existing state level benefits (currently up to $740 per week in Minnesota). Unemployed workers would be able to receive these additional benefits for up to four months. Importantly, this $600 per week in federal benefits is available to independent contractors, self-employed individuals, and gig workers who are otherwise not eligible for unemployment benefits. You can read more here.

Executive Action

Governor Walz issued a “Stay at Home” Executive Order last week, which went into effect over the weekend, through April 10. This is not an order for quarantine. Rather, it’s to restrict movements to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and to buy time for our health care professionals as they work tirelessly to save lives.

Minnesotans can still buy groceries, pick up prescriptions, bring sick pets to the vet, and other essential tasks or errands. Getting plenty of fresh air and exercise is encouraged (maintaining the social distancing of six feet). Below, I’ve provided a list of what is open and what is closed under the executive order.

Essential workers are exempted from the stay at home order based on federal guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with some Minnesota-specific additions.

This includes, but is not limited to, jobs in:

• Healthcare and public health
• Law enforcement, public safety, and first responders
• Emergency shelters, congregate living facilities, drop-in centers
• Child care
• Food and agriculture
• News media
• Energy
• Water and wastewater
• Critical manufacturing

Governor Walz has also issued a series of executive orders since I last wrote, and took action to put a moratorium on evictions, mobilize the Minnesota National Guard to deliver Personal Protective Equipment, ban price gouging of goods during a peacetime emergency, and give the Department of Human Services flexibility to help ensure services for people with disabilities, mental health support, childcare, food support, housing, and other critical public health programs and services can continue.

You can access the full list of the Governor’s executive actions here.

Many Minnesotans have questions about what the coming days and weeks might look like. While the Legislature is in recess until April 14, or until a bipartisan, bicameral agreement is reached on additional legislation, I’m connecting our Maple Grove and Osseo residents to COVID-19 resources so they can get the relief they need now and for the future.

If you have any questions, or need assistance during these challenging times, please contact me anytime at rep.kristin.bahner@house.mn or 651-296-5502.

I am honored to represent such vibrant, kind, and resilient communities at the legislature.

As always, be well, be safe, be healthy and cherish your loved ones each day.

Sincerely,

Kristin Bahner

Your State Representative