Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan Public Safety Update: June 13, 2020

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June 13, 2020

Updates from the Governor

The Governor and Lt. Governor continue to lead Minnesota through the COVID-19 pandemic and long-overdue police reform and accountability by listening to public health experts, community leaders, and impacted Minnesotans. Below is a summary of their actions this week.

Week in Review

On Monday, June 8 the Department of Health (MDH) released guidance to help Minnesotans safely get back to the sports they love. Different risk levels mean different precautions. See guidance for youth and adult sports, including the full list of sports at Stay Safe Guidance for Organized Sports. MDH also announced Minnesota was averaging over 11,000 tests per day, and continued to encourage Minnesotans who had been in large groups to get a test. Find a provider near you. The Governor also visited St. Paul businesses impacted by recent unrest in the Twin Cities to survey damage and to listen to their goals moving forward.

On Tuesday, June 9 Governor Walz issued a proclamation asking Minnesotans to spend 8 minutes and 46 seconds in silence to honor George Floyd on the day of his funeral. The Walz-Flanagan Administration is committed to addressing the systemic inequities and discrimination that led to his death.

On Wednesday, June 10 The Governor announced that he will convene a special legislative session. The Governor and Lt. Governor’s priorities for special session are clear: to pass police reform and accountability and build a stronger, more equitable economy. The third phase of Governor Walz’s Stay Safe MN plan also went into effect, allowing indoor dining, gyms, entertainment venues, and other places of public accommodation to open with safety measures and capacity limits in place. Visit Stay Safe MN: Safely Opening Minnesota for more information, resources, and guidance on how to stay safe.

On Thursday, June 11 Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan joined legislative leaders and members of the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus—to stand together as a united force, ready to do the work necessary to break down generations of systemic racism in Minnesota’s law enforcement system. Members of the POCI Caucus have put together a set of meaningful priorities to create change.

On Friday, June 12 the Minnesota Board of Pardons, which consists of the Governor, Attorney General, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, granted the state’s first posthumous pardon to Max Mason, who was wrongfully convicted in connection with the lynching of three innocent black men in Duluth. Following the advice of public health experts, senior advocates, labor, doctors, hospitals, and long-term care providers, Governor Walz also extended the COVID-19 peacetime emergency that gives the state flexibility in responding to rapidly-evolving issues stemming from COVID-19.

Everyone can work to reduce the spread of COVID-19

  • Wear masks when in public. 10-50% of virus carriers are asymptomatic wearing masks helps control the virus and has been shown to lower COVID-19 spread.
  • Avoid enclosed spaces with groups of people, where the virus can linger in the air for long periods of time.
  • Get tested if you have cold or flu-like symptoms – Find testing locations.
  • Stay six feet away from others.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or sleeve, or a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands afterwards.
  • Washing your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom or before eating. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your face – especially your eyes, nose and mouth – with unwashed hands.
  • Up-to-date guidance is available from the Department of Health.

Resources