Neighbors,
Last night, the “Stay at Home” Executive Order began, and it is scheduled to last until Friday, April 10. For many, these next two weeks will be difficult, but I want to emphasize that precious time will be bought by slowing the spread of COVID-19 and allowing our health care professionals the ability to prepare for and treat Minnesotans with the virus.
I highly recommend watching Governor Walz’s address, where he outlined the science behind the “Stay at Home” order, and showed how devastating the alternative could be if Minnesota does nothing. You can watch that address here.
COVID-19 Response Bill
On Thursday, the Minnesota Legislature passed our latest package of legislation to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Our new investments and polices would:
- Create a Minnesota COVID-19 Emergency Fund to keep our state operating
- Help businesses across the state secure emergency loans
- Award grants to licensed family and center-based child care providers who care for the children of health care and other emergency workers
- Ensure continued funding for food systems
- Provide needed help to local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit partners
- Protect people experiencing homelessness from exposure to the coronavirus and to mitigate additional spread of the disease.
There’s much more work to be done, especially to support the Minnesotans that continue to go to work and support our communities everyday, but this will not be the last bill we pass in response to this virus.
Stay Connected
I’ll update our community as we continue our efforts in the legislature and receive information from Governor Walz and the Minnesota Depart of Health. If you have any questions about our efforts or resources that are available, please feel free to contact me at (651) 296-3751 or rep.michael.nelson@house.mn.
Sincerely,
Rep. Michael V. Nelson