Friends and neighbors,
This week the legislature overwhelmingly approved a $216 million emergency Covid relief bill. Gov. Walz signed the bill on Wednesday, so local businesses affected by Gov. Tim Walz’s most recent shutdown order will have help coming very shortly.
Due to the governor’s shutdown order, the goal of the relief package is speed: businesses are struggling under the weight of the governor’s restrictions, and need assistance as fast as possible. Under the agreement, the first relief checks could be mailed by the end of the month. The bill is the culmination of more than a month of bipartisan negotiations between the House, Senate, and governor’s office.
It is difficult to overstate how much the owners of small businesses are struggling right now; they have said they can’t make it much longer. For many of them, this emergency assistance is going to be a lifesaver. I am glad that Republicans and Democrats in the legislature, as well as the governor’s office, were able to break through the partisan divide to help Minnesota business owners so quickly. This relief will help them keep the lights on and keep workers on the payroll.
The bill provides emergency assistance in three tiers:
- Direct relief payments: $88 million is allocated for businesses in industries that were directly impacted by the executive order, including bars, restaurants, and gyms. These businesses will receive a check mailed directly to them, with no need to apply. Assistance will be broken down as follows:
- Businesses that are down 30% in revenue and have 0-20 employees will receive a $15k check
- Businesses with 21-100 employees will receive $25k
- Businesses with 101-300 employees will receive $35k
- Business with more than 300 employees will receive $45k
- Business grants: $14 million is approved for business relief grants available through DEED. These grants are aimed at businesses like movie theaters and convention centers.
- County-distributed relief: $114.8 million in relief grants will be distributed to counties based on a per capita formula. Counties will then allocate that money to businesses that were directly or indirectly impacted by the executive order. Counties will have wide latitude, but funding must be distributed by March 15.
All relief funds must be used to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility bills, and other similar expenses that occur in the regular course of business.
In addition, the bill extends unemployment insurance benefits for 13 weeks, providing a lifeline for the Minnesotans who, by no fault of their own, cannot go to work.
If you have any questions about this bill, please do not hesitate to contact me time at Sen.Warren.Limmer@senate.mn. It is a privilege to serve you!
Sincerely,