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Dear neighbors,
Yesterday, the Minnesota House and Senate passed legislation to help protect Minnesotans’ health and economic well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, the legislation includes emergency loans for small businesses that are experiencing a temporary loss of revenue, grants to help child care providers continue caring for the children of emergency workers, support for food shelves, and funding for housing security. More details are available here.
The bill will help alleviate some of the challenges that Minnesotans are facing, but there are more issues that we will need to address in the coming days, weeks, and months. My colleagues and I will continue working on legislation to help Minnesotans navigate this public health crisis now and into the future.
Stay at Home Order
Governor Walz has issued an executive order directing Minnesotans to stay at home and limit movements outside their homes. The order takes effect today at 11:59 p.m. and ends on April 10 at 5 p.m.
You will still be able to leave your home for essential activities like buying groceries, seeking medical care, and exercising. However, you should keep a six-foot distance between yourself and others while doing so. You shouldn’t go to work unless you work in critical sectors that are exempt from the stay at home order. Resources to help you determine if you’re eligible for an exemption are available here.
Additional information about the stay at home order is available here.
Support for Small Businesses
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has created a Small Business Emergency Loan program to help businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will offer zero interest loans between $2,500 and $35,000. Information about this new program is available here.
Minnesota small businesses and non-profits are eligible for loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as well. The federal agency is accepting applications for low-interest loans of up to $2 million. Click here for more information about the loan program and how to apply.
MNsure Special Enrollment Period
In response to the growth of COVID-19 cases, MNsure launched a special enrollment period for Minnesotans who are currently without insurance. The special enrollment period began on March 23 and runs through April 21, giving qualified individuals 30 days to enroll in health coverage through MNsure.org. You can call 651-539-2009 or 855-366-7873 with questions about enrollment or eligibility or click here to get free help from a MNsure expert assister.
Tax Filing Deadline Extended
The Minnesota Department of Revenue recently announced that the state income tax filing deadline has been extended. Minnesotans now have until July 15 to file their returns without any penalties or interest. The deadline for filing federal tax returns was pushed back to July 15 as well. More information is available here.
Useful Information
Up-to-date and accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic is available at www.health.state.mn. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) website has sections in Hmong, Spanish, and Somali. Information in PDF format is available for other non-English languages too: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Karen, Russian, and Vietnamese.
Governor Walz is holding regular briefings on this evolving situation. These briefings are a great source of information, and they are often streamed live on the Governor’s Facebook page, linked here. I will do my best to keep you updated as well.
Please continue sharing questions, feedback, and suggestions and let me know if I can ever be of assistance. You can reach me via email at rep.steve.sandell@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-1147.
Sincerely,
Steve Sandell
State Representative
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