Dear Neighbors,
This week, Governor Walz announced that Minnesota has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19. Thanks to a partnership with Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, and other health care providers, our state will have the capacity to test as many as 20,000 people per day. That means every Minnesotan with COVID-19 symptoms will be able to get tested.
Rapid, widespread testing will help us build a better picture of how COVID-19 is impacting our state. This is a vital step toward better controlling the virus and safely reopening our economy.
You can read more about it here.
Governor’s Executive Order to Reopen Businesses
Today, the Governor announced a new executive order that takes a limited first step in the process of safely returning to work, beginning only with workers at non-Critical Sector industrial, manufacturing and office-based businesses that are non-customer facing. The executive order requires businesses to create and share a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan with employees, engages in health screenings of employees daily, and continuing to use telework when possible. This executive order will allow approximately 20,000 businesses and roughly 80,000 – 100,000 workers to go back to work beginning on Monday, April 27. This figure represents roughly 20% of the workers currently unable to work under the Governor’s orders.
Governor Walz also shared a dial framework which takes into consideration several health, economic, and social factors – and applies them to a variety of settings that have varying levels of predictability and size considerations. The framework shows how the Governor anticipates the process of reopening Minnesota will work.
News for K-12 Students
Governor Walz today announced schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, with distance learning continuing. I’d like to take a moment to thank all the Anoka-Hennepin school district teachers and families for their continued flexibility, patience, and dedication to ensuring our students have the tools needed to be successful, even if they cannot physically be in the classroom. Read more from the Star Tribune’s coverage here. As the father of two little girls (aged 5 and 7), I have seen firsthand the great work that our teachers are doing to support our students.
Remote Jobs Hearing Tomorrow
Tomorrow, the Minnesota House Jobs Committee will hold a remote hearing at 9:00 a.m., where we’ll be discussing my bill to provide additional funding for the state’s Emergency Loan Program. Tune in when we’re live on the House Public Information website and YouTube channel. My bill is focused on providing relief to the businesses that have been unable to get funding through the various state and federal programs offered so far. Unfortunately, the federal programs have largely been drained by large businesses with well connected lobbyists, instead of the small businesses in Champlin and Coon Rapids.
Keep in Touch
Please continue to reach out with questions or ideas on my cell phone at 763-370-9000 or by email at rep.zack.stephenson@house.mn. I appreciate your input and am here to help.
Stay well.
Sincerely,
Zack Stephenson
State Representative