Dear Neighbors,
I hope this finds you well and staying home, if you can.
Here’s an update on some additional action the state’s taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic:
Executive Action
Protective Gear for Health Care Workers
Governor Walz announced a new executive order, which authorizes the Minnesota National Guard to deliver assistance during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency by addressing the critically low supply of personal protective equipment in Minnesota’s hospitals and health care facilities, as well as the delivery delays from the federal government’s Strategic National Stockpile.
MNsure
The Governor and MNsure announced a 30-day special enrollment period (SEP) for qualified individuals who are currently without insurance in response to the potential growth of COVID-19 cases. The SEP opened on March 23 and runs through April 21. It will allow uninsured individuals 30 days to enroll in health insurance coverage through MNsure.org.
Individual Filing Tax Extension
Minnesotans filing their annual Minnesota Individual Income Tax return for tax year 2019 now have until Wednesday, July 15, 2020, to file and make their payments without any penalties or interest.
Small Business Assistance
Yesterday, the Governor established a Small Business Emergency Loan Program for businesses affected by COVID-19.
The program will make loans available of between $2,500 and $35,000 for qualifying small businesses and will be 50% forgivable, and offered at a 0% interest rate. Depending on the size of the loans offered to businesses, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) estimates this emergency loan program will provide needed resources to between 1,200 and 5,000 businesses. DEED expects loan applications will available later this week through their lender network. Champlin and Coon Rapids small businesses should send questions about this emergency loan program to ELP@state.mn.us.
Suspension of Evictions
The Governor also announced an executive order yesterday, which clarifies that landlords and financial institutions cannot begin eviction proceedings that would remove tenants from stable housing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Legislative Action
The Minnesota Legislature is working with the federal government on a variety of other emergency measures to help address this global pandemic. On the state level, we’re working around the clock on proposals to keep long-term care and disability services running, prevent evictions and foreclosures, extend the tax filing deadline, provide additional child care provider support for first responders and health workers, forgive expired driver’s licenses, and much more. We are working closely with the Governor’s office on these initiatives, as many of ours mirror the Governor’s executive action.
Stay in Touch
Please continue to reach out anytime with questions, or to let me know how I can help. My cell phone number is 763-370-9000 and my email address is rep.zack.stephenson@house.mn.
It’s an honor to represent our Champlin and Coon Rapids neighborhoods at the state legislature.
Sincerely,
Zack Stephenson
State Representative