Dear neighbors,
I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. I know many community members have questions about what we’re doing to address the COVID-19 pandemic and what the coming days and weeks might look like, so I’m hosting a virtual town hall with Rep. Dave Pinto and Sen. Dick Cohen this week.
The virtual town hall will take place via Facebook Live on Sunday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. If you have questions or comments that you’d like us to address during the town hall, please share them here or email me at rep.kaohly.her@house.mn. You can find more details and RSVP here.
Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act
The Minnesota House approved three important pieces of legislation last week. On Tuesday, we passed the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, a groundbreaking bill named after a young man who lost his life because he was forced to ration insulin. This legislation will help Minnesotans with diabetes access affordable insulin in an emergency and in the long-term. More information is available here.
COVID-19 Response Bill
We also approved a new COVID-19 relief package to help workers, businesses, and families impacted by this unprecedented public health crisis. This legislation allows local governments to meet remotely, suspends certain deadlines and expiration dates, expands use of telemedicine, gives the Department of Health authority to set up alternative health care facilities, and more. You can find more details here.
Keeping Restaurants and Bars in Business
On Friday, we passed a bill to allow restaurants and bars to sell takeout beer and wine with food orders. Selling alcoholic beverages will help restaurants and bars stay in business, preserve jobs, and serve customers safely. We’re committed to finding ways to get our economy up and running without putting Minnesotans’ lives at risk, and this was a good first step. More information about the bill is available here.
Support Local Restaurants
Like many Minnesotans, my family has been occasionally ordering takeout as a way to keep local restaurants in business. If you’re able to support a restaurant near you, Visit St. Paul has compiled a list of places that are open for takeout or delivery. You can view the list here.
Extended Unemployment Benefits
Minnesota was one of the first states in the nation to implement the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, which provides a 13-week extension of Unemployment Insurance benefits for eligible workers. If you’ve exhausted or will soon exhaust your unemployment benefits, you can find step-by-step instructions to apply for the extended benefits here or within your online account.
Unemployment Benefits for Self-Employed and Contract Workers
Thanks to a new federal program, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), unemployment benefits will soon be available for people who are self-employed and contract workers. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is working with the U.S. Labor Department to get a new system up and running so these payments can be made.
In the meantime, self-employed and contract workers should follow the steps outlined here to apply for Unemployment Insurance here. The UI system will likely deny your application, but DEED will flag your account and follow up with you when the PUA program is ready at the end of April.
Expanded Recreation Opportunities
Last week, Governor Walz issued an executive order to ensure that Minnesotans can continue golfing, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, and spending time outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to this order, parks and trails, golf courses and driving ranges, and other venues will remain open. However, people should stay close to home, avoid crowded areas, and maintain a six-foot distance from others. If you’d like more information, you can read the executive order here.
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In closing, I’d like to thank first responders, emergency workers, and essential workers who are caring for others and working to keep us safe. I have family, friends, and loved ones who are putting their lives on the line during this pandemic, and I’m sure many of you do as well. I fight for constituents each and every day because the issues that impact them and the concerns that keep them up at night are the same for me. Please know that I will continue advocating for you and your loved ones during these difficult times.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if I can be of assistance. You can reach me at rep.kaohly.her@house.mn or at 651-296-8799.
Sincerely,
Rep. Kaohly Her