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Legislative Update: "Stay at Home"

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Rep. Lippert

Dear Neighbors, 

We are in this together.  This is the mantra for this moment. 

Together, many of us will be continuing to stay in our homes in an effort to buy time for our health care professionals as they tirelessly work around the clock to treat Minnesotans with COVID-19. 

Yesterday, Governor Walz announced the “Stay at Home” Executive Order, which will be in place from Friday, March 27, at 11:59pm through Friday, April 10, at 5:00pm.

Stay at Home Graphic

This order formalizes what many in our community have already been practicing – restricting our trips outside the home with only the exception of essential needs. Minnesotans are still able to go to the grocery store, take a walk outside, and conduct any essential travel or health care visits.

Stay At Home Can/Should Not

You can read the executive order here, which includes a comprehensive list of acceptable activities, exemptions, and critical sectors of work. A list of all current executive orders can be found here.

Additional executive orders issued yesterday include the extension of closures for bars, restaurants, and other public accommodations until May 1, and the order that schools will remain closed until May 4. 

 

Responding to COVID-19 in the Legislature

Governor Walz is able to implement sweeping changes as a result of the emergency powers granted to him during a peacetime emergency, but there remains substantial areas that can only be addressed with legislative approval. 

Today, the Minnesota Legislature met in unprecedented fashion to ensure relief and clarity is administered throughout our state. As we buy time for our public health professionals to address COVID-19, it’s important that we’re also delivering resources to Minnesotans who are struggling as a result of the necessary measures implemented to slow and stop the spread of the virus. The bipartisan bill we passed today is a step in the right direction for helping Minnesotans, but much more work remains to be done.

Floor Photo

My view of the House Floor in the age of social distancing

The legislation provides flexibility for our state agencies to properly respond to the pandemic, delivers resources to our child care providers, provides shelter for our homeless population, loans for our small businesses, and food security throughout the state. You can read more about the bill and our efforts to address COVID-19 here

In an effort to reduce the number of people on the House floor, I was honored to be asked to offer the prayer at the start of session, which you can watch here

 

Facebook Live Town Hall

Please join me this Saturday for a Facebook Live Town Hall to receive an update on our efforts in the Minnesota House and the resources that are available for our community. Feel free to bring your questions and comments on what we can do to help our community weather this storm. The event will be hosted on the Representative Todd Lippert Facebook Page

Facebook live

Please submit any questions or comments that you would like me to speak to. We will also be accepting questions from the live comments, but the questions from this form will be a good jumping off point. 

Regardless of whether you can join us on Saturday, please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. You can also connect with me on FacebookTwitter, phone or email. I can be reached at (651) 296-0171 or rep.todd.lippert@house.mn. It’s an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.

 

Sincerely, 

Todd Lippert