SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Yesterday, the House Ways and Means Committee reviewed a new COVID-19 assistance package designed to help workers, families, and small businesses hardest hit by the pandemic. House DFLers are advocating for direct assistance for workers and families in addition to businesses.
Key pieces in the assistance package include:
- Extend Unemployment Benefits (Mahoney/Noor): Up to 13 additional weeks in unemployment benefits for MN workers who have exhausted all federal and state benefits.
- TANF Money for MFIP Families (Noor): One-time grants of $500 for 30,000 MFIP Families, using $15.7 million from the federal TANF Fund.
- Business Assistance (Mahoney): Provides $200 million from the General Fund in grants to restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters and many other entities directly affected by the executive orders and the pandemic.