The bill establishes a dedicated COVID response fund, includes funding for state agencies, childcare, college students, small businesses.

Senate Republicans passed a third COVID-19 response bill today, allocating an additional $331 million to help Minnesotans withstand the effects of the attempts to minimize the spread of the virus. Today’s action establishes a dedicated COVID-19 Minnesota Fund that will be used by the Walz administration. The package also includes funding for childcare providers, college students, small businesses, veterans, homeless shelters and food shelves. Previous COVID-19 bills passed by the legislature allocated $221 million in funding for medical needs, bringing the total to $552 million this year to address the Coronavirus pandemic in Minnesota.

“The Senate passed funding again today to mitigate the impact of the actions that have been implemented to curb the spread of coronavirus,” said Senator Scott Jensen (R-Chaska). “While I believe Governor Walz’s executive order to stay at home has significant potential for unintended consequences, we are still committed to providing support for Minnesotans during this time. I hope this funding delivers the much-needed relief for businesses, seniors, students, and families.”

The COVID-19 Minnesota Fund can only be used for expenses incurred during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency as declared by Executive Order 20-01 to maintain operations of government. Examples of increased costs would be additional healthcare and staffing needs in prison facilities, staffing and overtime for direct care and treatment, and resources for activities by the national guard in response to COVID-19, among other expenses incurred by state government.

Read the senate bill, SF 4451, here.

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