Today, Senate Republicans passed legislation with bipartisan support to provide meaningful bonuses to frontline workers and stop devastating tax increases on small businesses. The legislation resolves the differences between the Senate and House on providing bonuses to workers who worked the frontline during the COVID pandemic and repaying and refilling the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund.

“Throughout the pandemic, our frontline workers put themselves in harm’s way as they supported the essential needs of Minnesotans,” said Senator Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove). “To show our gratitude for those who continued to serve our state in light of personal risk, the Senate passed important legislation that will provide these workers with a meaningful bonus. I am also pleased to see the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund debt repaid and refilled to protect our small businesses and employee benefits.”

The agreement will also pay off the loan from the federal government and refill the UI fund to its necessary balance using primarily federal funds. Additionally, as part of the agreement, bonuses will go to frontline workers most at risk during the COVID pandemic. As the Senate proposed two weeks ago, the House DFL will choose which workers will get bonuses.

The agreement spends the remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act funds available to Minnesota for COVID, which otherwise would have been available to Gov. Walz on June 1, 2022, if left unspent.