On Monday, the Minnesota Senate passed legislation that would allow many small businesses to safely resume operations. The bill, Senate File 4511, provides a framework for businesses to return to the workplace and safely resume operations if they follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines. The legislation would take effect the day following enactment and passed in the chamber with a bipartisan vote of 39-28.

“Minnesota’s economy is in shambles as a result of COVID-19 and hit hardest by the impacts of this virus has been our state’s small businesses,” said Senator Dan Hall (R-Burnsville). “While “essential stores” and big-box chains have been allowed to remain open, many of our small businesses have been shuttered, with no clear indication of when they can reopen. This has forever lost us businesses in our district and countless more across the state. Minnesotans are rightly concerned about the virus, but that does not mean we need to choose between our health and our economy, we can preserve both.  I am confident that given a chance Minnesota’s small business owners can implement plans that preserves the health and well-being of employees and customers, so let’s work with them and get our economy up and running.”

The legislation would allow businesses that are “closed to ingress, egress, use, and occupancy by members of the public” due to recent executive orders to resume operations if the business abides by workplace safety recommendations and guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The bill would take effect the day following its enactment.

The legislation awaits a hearing in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

On Monday, the Senate also voted to approve extending the state’s COVID fund, which was set to expire on May 11. The Senate bill allows money in the COVID fund to be used until December 31, 2020. The fund’s current balance is $36.9 million as of Monday, May 11.