SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Monday night, the Minnesota House approved a new economic assistance package designed to help unemployed workers, small businesses, and other Minnesotans struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation helps protect economic security for workers by extending unemployment benefits and includes direct financial assistance to the businesses that need it most.
“The ongoing pandemic has created a crisis impacting many Minnesotans. While we continue battling the pandemic, our state must do what it can to help small businesses and workers experiencing hardship,” said Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester). “We also need to help Minnesotans who can’t pay their rent and the small landlords whose mortgages are at risk, unemployed and low-income families who don’t qualify for unemployment insurance. Senate Republicans would not agree to help these Minnesotans. Senate Republicans also refused to provide critical bridge funding needed to help residents stay safe in long term care facilities when federal funding ends on December 30.”
To help workers displaced as a result of the pandemic, the bill provides a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits. Without action from the Legislature, over 100,000 unemployed Minnesota workers could lose benefits on December 26 when funding under the federal CARES Act is set to expire.
The legislation also delivers a $216 million package of economic assistance to small businesses. Of this, $88 million comes in the form of direct financial aid to businesses experiencing economic harm due to the pandemic, including restaurants, bars, coffee shops, breweries, wineries and distilleries with taprooms or tasting rooms, caterers, bowling alleys, and some gyms and fitness centers. The bill also includes $14 million worth of grants to movie theaters and large convention centers, including Rochester’s Mayo Civic Center. The remaining $114.8 million will be made available to counties for grants to other affected businesses, including hotels, museums, arcades and live theater venues, including over $3 million for distribution by Olmsted County.
The bill also waives or delays a series of fees for the hospitality industry, including 2 a.m. liquor licenses for bars, caterers that serve alcohol, wastewater permitting fees for small breweries, and certain late payment penalties for food related businesses. Finally, the legislation extends the deadline for families to apply for free and reduced-price lunch.
Information and resources, including bill language, are available on the Minnesota House’s COVID-19 webpage.