Today, the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus unveiled a new online portal for Minnesota businesses and workers to share feedback on reopening Minnesota’s economy. The website asks users to share plans for enhanced safety and social distancing protocols amid extraordinary circumstances. Senator Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes) issued the following statement:

“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel! California, Oregon, Washington state, Texas plan to end their hard lockdown even the New York governor has mentioned the possibility. Nationally and in Minnesota, the spread of covid19 is coming under control.

The main reason for the stay at home order was to allow hospitals time to prepare and purchase supplies. We have put more than $500 million into our healthcare system and processes are in place to manage covid19 cases. Hospitals are prepared and effective treatments have been developed. While we need to stay focused on the disease, we need to begin thinking about and discussing the road map back to normalcy.

The time is right to begin discussing how we protect families, communities and our state from another crisis. We are working on transitioning Minnesota back to work. We are all aware of closures of restaurants, bars, barbershops, salons, etc., but there are also people who need back surgery or cataracts surgery or a variety of other procedures, most of which have been postponed due to the state shutdown. 

It is more than just jobs, more than economics, it’s about people’s lives and livelihoods. The employees, employers, and businesses support the local little league teams, they support charities, as well as other family and community members.

Additionally, the federal and state money that was to be available for unemployment and businesses, is in a log jam of bureaucracy and convoluted rules that bar many from receiving help in a timely manner.

There is a fairly simple and common-sense way of getting this done. For instance, the state can be separated into green, yellow and red zones, depending on the number of cases in the area. Basic standards can be established for businesses, those most at risk would take extra precautions, in all areas still practice distancing and finally large gatherings, still prohibited for a short time.

To that end, we unveiled a new online portal for Minnesota businesses and workers to share feedback on reopening Minnesota’s economy. The website asks users to share plans for enhanced safety and social distancing protocols amid extraordinary circumstances.

That is just one example of it could be managed. Be smart, be wise, use common sense and we can get back to normal and protect our state from more harm.

 Also, as soon as possible, we need to pass aggressive legislation to help support employers and get people back to work. We have a variety of positive tax proposals including delaying tax payments, permanent relief for farmers and small businesses, charities and schools. The Senate tax committee will be hearing these proposals this Thursday, April 16, at 9 am via remote zoom hearing.”