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Neighbors and Friends,
Early Saturday morning, the week-long special session ended with some successes and some disappointments. While the House approved several substantive bills related to COVID-19 and the rebuilding of our communities following the civil unrest, the Senate did not follow suit and they adjourned before an agreement could be reached. We are in the middle of a pandemic and at a time of transformation following the death of George Floyd.
One success was passage of HF 5 which includes $62.5 million in grants for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Gov. Walz signed the bill into law. The aid comes at an important time to help our businesses get back on their feet. The first $60 million in the bill comes from the federal CARES Act, and $2.5 million from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Emergency Loan Program. Applications will start being accepted on Tuesday, June 23, through Thursday, July 2. You can find more information and apply on the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development's webpage.
Among the disappointments, is the failure to pass two bills we heard on Wednesday in the Housing Finance and Policy Division, which I chair. You can read my news release on the bills here.
Early Friday morning the House passed the Minnesota Police Accountability Act of 2020, a comprehensive package in response to the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The racial justice and police accountability measure was authored by members of the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) caucus. On Thursday, legislators received a letter from the major health insurance carriers supporting this important legislation.
The Senate passed another, weaker bill and ultimately a compromise on this important issue was not reached.
Youth sports to resume
The Minnesota Department of Health announced new guidelines for resumption of youth sports. Outdoor sports can return on Wednesday and indoor games and scrimmages can resume on July 1. This is welcome news to many parents and student-athletes in our community.
COVID-19 testing available in St. Paul this week
The Minnesota Department of Health is partnering with local community organizations in Minneapolis and St. Paul to offer free COVID testing. The test sites will be open tomorrow and Wednesday from 12 noon until 6 pm. The tests are provided free of charge, and you can receive a test regardless of whether you have symptoms.
The locations for these clinics were chosen to try to provide nearby access for people in communities where mass gatherings occurred last week.
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