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Dear neighbor,
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend our day-to-day lives, but we know that Minnesotans will continue to look out for each other and we will get through this. The Minnesota House will continue doing everything we can to help Minnesotans during this difficult time and into the future.
COVID-19 assistance package passes the Legislature
Yesterday, the Minnesota House and Senate passed a COVID-19 assistance package to assist Minnesotans coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and its related disruptions.
The legislation includes:
- Funding for small business loans, including restaurants and bars.
- One-time grants for child care providers that are remaining open during this difficult time.
- Financial assistance for food banks, food shelves, and related transportation costs.
- Investments in secure, safe housing for senior citizens, people with disabilities, and Minnesotans experiencing homelessness.
It’s incredibly disappointing that we weren’t able to reach agreement with Senate Republicans on a number of critically important provisions, including:
- Workers’ comp for first responders
- Ensuring our our hourly or contract school employees get paid
- Housing assistance
- Requests from the Chief Justice and judicial branch
This vote was another legislative step to address this public health crisis, but we know there are more issues we will need to address in the coming days, weeks, and months. This public health crisis will have an unpredictable and lasting impact on our state. The COVID-19 pandemic also has laid bare the structural inequities of our current political and economic system. That’s why House DFLers will keep advocating to level the playing field for all Minnesotans when this is over.
Stay At Home order
On Wednesday, Governor Walz announced a Stay At Home Executive Order directing Minnesotans to limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs from March 27 at 11:59pm to April 10 at 5:00pm. Limiting social interactions will help decrease the transmission of COVID-19 and help ensure our health care sector can prepare for increased demands. The Governor also announced executive orders extending the closure of bars, restaurants, and other public accommodations until May 1, 2020 at 5:00pm and authorizing the Commissioner of Education to implement a Distance Learning Period for Minnesota’s students beginning on March 30 through May 4, 2020.
Here is what you need to know:
Minnesotans may leave their residences only to perform any of the following activities, and while doing so, they should practice social distancing:
- Health and safety activities, such as obtaining emergency services or medical supplies
- Outdoor activities, such as walking, hiking, running, biking, hunting, or fishing
- Necessary Supplies and Services, such as getting groceries, gasoline, or carry-out
- Essential and interstate travel, such as returning to a home from outside this state
- Care of others, such as caring for a family member, friend, or pet in another household
- Displacement, such as moving between emergency shelters if you are without a home
- Relocation to ensure safety, such as relocating to a different location if your home has been unsafe due to domestic violence, sanitation, or essential operations reasons
- Tribal activities and lands, such as activities by members within the boundaries of their tribal reservation
Workers who work in critical sectors during this time are exempt from the stay at home order. These exemptions are 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
Visit www.mn.gov/stayhomemn for more information and answers to your questions.
Eviction Moratorium
On Monday, Governor Walz issued an executive order suspending evictions during the peacetime emergency. Loss of housing is catastrophic at any time, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, this loss endangers the health and well-being of all Minnesotans. While this order clarifies that tenants who can continue to pay rent during the peacetime emergency should continue to do so, landlords and financial institutions cannot begin eviction proceedings that would remove tenants from stable housing.
My office will continue to be a resource to find answers to your questions and provide updates about the status of this public health crisis. Please reach out if I can be of assistance and consider sharing this email with your neighbor or relatives. If you know of anyone who would appreciate these updates, please let them know they can subscribe to my email list here.
House staff are tele-commuting in order to comply with public health guidance, so if you call my office at 651-296-7026, please be prepared to leave a voicemail message. You can also send an email to rep.ryan.winkler@house.mn.
Despite receiving a high volume of communication in recent days, I will respond to your messages as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone for doing your part in fighting the spread of COVID-19.
Sincerely,
Rep. Ryan Winkler
House Majority Leader
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