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.

“Small businesses and workers across Minnesota are struggling and in desperate need of relief,” said Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria). “Our state does not need to choose between preserving public health or helping our economy; Minnesota can do both.  If a big-box store can operate in Alexandria, why can’t we trust our small businesses to implement a safe plan to reopen? If our neighbors in North Dakota can open trust their small businesses to reopen why can’t we? This one-size-fits-all solution no longer works for Minnesota, and now is the time for Minnesota to begin safely rebooting our economy.”

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.