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COVID-19 Updates

COVID19 Legislative Updates

Covid-19 Timeline 3/6-Today

Friday, May 1

  • Order Continuing Operations of the Court of the State of Minnesota under a Statewide Peacetime Declaration of Emergency; May 1, 2020
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea issued an order on May 1, 2020 regarding the continuing operations of state courts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order is effective immediately. The order continues in-person courthouse restrictions until May 18, 2020. Jury trials continue to be suspended and may not resume until June 1, 2020, at the earliest.

Friday, April 17

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-38: Allowing for Safe Outdoor Recreation.
  • The House voted on SF4489, the takeout wine and beer bill, which passed 129-1. The Governor signed the bill into law.

Thursday, April 16

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-37: Extending the Relief from Regulations for Motor Carriers and Drivers Operating in Minnesota Declared in Executive Order 20-06. 
  • The Senate passed a bill to allow for takeout beer and wine sales from restaurants.

Wednesday, April 15

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-36: Directing Salary Reductions for Certain Officials. 
  • Governor Walz signed HF3100 into law

Tuesday, April 14

  • The Minnesota Legislature passed HF3100 frequently referred to as the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act. This bill creates two programs: the urgent-need safety net program and the continuing safety net program.
    • The urgent-need safety net program allows urgent persons to receive a 30-day supply of insulin from pharmacies. Insulin manufacturers either reimburse the pharmacies or supply insulin to pharmacies on a replacement basis. 
    • The continuing safety net program allows eligible persons to receive up to a 90-day supply of insulin from manufacturers through insulin manufacturer patient assistance programs on an ongoing basis for the 12-month eligibility period which may be renewed.

Monday, April 13

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-35: Extending the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency Declared in Executive Order 20-01.

Friday, April 10

  • The Department of Health released information about the Minnesota COVID-19 Model.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-34: Protecting Minnesota’s First Responders by Directing the Commissioner of Health to Share Information with the Department of Public Safety, 911 Dispatchers, and First Responders.

Wednesday, April 8

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-31: Providing for Relief from Regulations to Certain Motor Carriers and Drivers Operating in Minnesota.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-32: Ensuring that Healthcare Providers Can Respond Quickly and Safely During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-33: Extending Stay at Home Order and Temporary Closure of Bars, Restaurants, and Other Places of Public Accommodation.

Tuesday, April 7

  • The House and Senate both meet on the Floor following social distancing guidelines. Members participated by phone from the Capitol parking lots, their homes, and their offices. 
  • Both bodies passed HF 4537(Wolgamott)/SF4458 (Howe).
    • The bill makes first responders presumptively eligible for workers’ compensation benefits under certain conditions. To receive compensation, the employee’s condition would have to be confirmed by a positive laboratory test or the diagnosis of a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse, based upon the employee’s symptoms.
  • A press conference was held to announce a deal on the insulin bill.  Controversy ensued when House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler accused Senate Republicans of taking credit for the deal after blocking it for several months. 
  • The House and Senate plan to return on Tuesday, April 14th.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-30: Providing National Guard Assistance for Spring Flood Response and Protection.

Monday, April 6

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-28: Allowing Out-of-State Mental Health Providers to Render Telehealth Aid and Permitting Certain Licensing Boards to Provide License and Registration Relief During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-29: Amending Executive Order 20-05 to Expedite State Unemployment Insurance Benefits During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.

Friday, April 3

Wednesday, April 1

  • The Senate announced the formation of a COVID-19 Response Working Group. This group comprises 11 senators and is chaired by Senator Majority Leader Gazelka.

Tuesday, March 31

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-25: Authorizing Peace Officers, Firefighters, and Security-Related Licensing Boards to Modify Requirements During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-26: Ensuring Continuing Operations of the Medical Cannabis Program during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.

Friday, March 27

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-21: Clarifying Application of Executive Order 20-07 to Allow for Coverage of Employees of Constitutional Officers.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-22: Authorizing the State Auditor to Temporarily Suspend Reporting Requirements During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-23: Authorizing Minnesota Health-Related Licensing Boards to Modify Requirements During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-24: emergency relief for motor carriers, specifically for moving the food supply to market.
  • Governor Walz Executive Order 20-20 Directing Minnesotans to Stay at Home goes into place tonight at 11:59pm

Thursday, March 26

  • The Minnesota House and Senate met to pass HF4351/SF4451 $330 million in COVID-19 aid.
    • $200 million for the “COVID Minnesota Fund” in the state treasury
    • $72.5 million for human service spending initiatives to address issues like homelessness, emergency childcare grants, and financial/food assistance.
    • $57.7 million to DHS to implement action in the Governor’s Executive Order 20-12.
    • $10 million for the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program.

Wednesday, March 25

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-18: Continuing the Closure of Bars, Restaurants, and Other Places of Public Accommodation.
    • Extending the closures to May 1.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-19: Authorizing and Directing the Commissioner of Education to Implement a Distance Learning Period and Continue to Provide a Safe Learning Environment for Minnesota’s Students.
    • Extending distant learning to May 4.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-20: Directing Minnesotans to Stay at Home.
    • This executive order asks Minnesotans to stay at home beginning Friday, March 27th at 11:59pm through Friday, April 10, 2020.
    • Senate Majority Leader Gazelka put out a statement saying that he had “grave concerns” about Executive Order 20-20.
    • The four members of the New Republican Caucus were the only members to vote against the COVID-19 package.

Monday, March 23

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-14: Suspending Evictions and Writs of Recovery During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-15: Providing Immediate Relief to Small Businesses During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-16: Directing Non-Hospital Entities to Inventory and Preserve Vital Medical Equipment During the Covid-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-17: Clarifying Application of Executive Order 20-09 to Veterinary Surgeries and Procedures
  • Governor Walz announced that he was beginning a 14 day quarantine because one of his detail personnel tested positive for COVID-19.

Saturday, March 21

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-13: Authorizing National Guard Assistance to COVID-19 Response.

Friday, March 20

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-10: Combatting Price Gouging During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-11: Securing Federal Authority to Continue Human Services Programs During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-12: Preserving Access to Human Services Programs During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency. Governor Walz and MNsure announced a special 30-day enrollment period to increase health care access during COVID-19. Governor Walz announced that moving forward he will be doing daily 2:00pm press conferences with the Minnesota Department of Health.

Thursday, March 19

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-09: Directing Delay of Inpatient and Outpatient Elective Surgery and Procedural Cases during COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency. This Executive Order does not go into effect until March 23rd.
  • Senator Gazelka put out a statement saying that the Senate is ready to come back to session to pass legislation to respond to the COVID-19 Virus. He also questioned the constitutionality of Executive Order 20-05 in a statement.
  • Chief Justice Gildea sent a letter to legislative leadership asking the legislature to create legislation that changes the deadline for a speedy trial demand and to toll statutes of limitations for the duration of the Peacetime Emergency.

Wednesday, March 18

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-08 Clarifying Public Accommodations Subject to Order 20-04. This called for the shutdowns of many additional facilities including but not limited to: spas, salons, and tattoo parlors.

Tuesday, March 17

  • Governor Walz Signed Executive Order 20-06: Providing for Emergency Relief from Regulations to Motor Carriers and Drivers Operating in Minnesota.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-07: Providing for State Workforce Needs During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.

Monday, March 16

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-03: Protecting Residents of Minnesota Veterans Homes during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-04: Providing for Temporary Closure of Bars, Restaurants, and Other Places of Public Accommodation.
  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-05: Providing for Immediate Relief to Employers and Unemployed Workers During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency.
  • The Legislature passed SF4334 (Benson)/HF3980 (Liebling), a bill that provided $50 million to the state public health response contingency account; and $150 million to create a health care response fund in the state treasury, which would be used to make grants and take a little longer to reach the beneficiaries.

Sunday, March 15

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-02: Authorizing and Directing the Commissioner of Education to Temporarily Close Schools to Plan for a Safe Educational Environment.

Saturday, March 13

  • Governor Walz signed Executive Order 20-01: Declaring a Peacetime Emergency and Coordinating Minnesota's Strategy to Protect Minnesotans from COVID-19.

Tuesday, March 10

  • Governor Walz signs the bill into law and a third case of COVID-19 is confirmed in the state of Minnesota.

Monday, March 9

  • The Minnesota House and Senate unanimously approved $21 million in funding to fight COVID-19

Sunday, March 8

  • Minnesota Department of Health officials confirmed the state’s second case of COVID-19.

Friday, March 6

  • Minnesota Department of Health officials confirmed the state’s first case of COVID-19.