Today, the Minnesota Legislature passed an emergency funding package to assist with the state’s coronavirus outbreak response efforts. The legislation, which is the third aid package approved by the legislature, passed with bipartisan support.

The legislation includes loans for farmers and businesses with less than 250 employees, relief for individuals seeking unemployment benefits, childcare assistance, help for low-income Minnesotans and veterans, stability for college students, and more. It also creates a COVID-19 Minnesota Fund that will be responsible for COVID-19-related expenditures. This account will include legislative oversight to guarantee coronavirus funding is used with accountability and integrity.

“These emergency measures will support Minnesota’s response to COVID-19 and mitigate its spread throughout our state,” said Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake). “Protecting the health and wellbeing of all Minnesotans is a core responsibility of our state government. I am grateful for our lawmakers for uniting in support of these measures and others so that we can protect the public health and financial wellbeing of Minnesotans swiftly.”
Notable provisions included in the bill:

• COVID-19 MINNESOTA FUND: The bill creates a COVID-19 Minnesota Fund in the state treasury to pay expenditures related to the peacetime emergency, with legislative oversight for accountability and integrity of the funding.
• UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF: Similar to a recent executive order by Gov. Walz, the legislation makes it easier for workers hurt by the coronavirus to get unemployment, by removing barriers like waiting periods and job-search requirements.
• PROTECTING SMALL BUSINESSES: The bill provides emergency loans for small businesses and loan guarantees for businesses with fewer than 250 employees through the Department of Employment and Economic Development.
• FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN: The bill provides emergency grants to protect childcare access and affordability during the coronavirus peacetime emergency.
• FARMERS: The bill modifies the Rural Finance Authority’s Disaster Recovery Loan program to include infectious diseases, so farmers will have easier access to emergency loans if they are hurt by the coronavirus.
• COLLEGE STUDENTS: The bill protects college students from financial instability by granting the commissioner of higher education authority to guarantee the security of Work Study, SELF loan programs, the State Grant program, and other state grants, aid, and scholarship programs.
• LOW INCOME FAMILIES: The legislation provides additional funding for food shelves to help families affected by the virus get food, toilet paper, diapers, and other critical supplies.
• VETERANS: the bill allocates funding to help veterans and their surviving spouses with lack of childcare, medical bills, loss of work, and numerous other issues due to the coronavirus.

In addition, the bill eases proof of residency requirements for individuals attempting to get a REAL ID, and it extends driver’s license expiration dates for two months after the peacetime emergency period is declared over.