The Minnesota Senate voted Monday night to pass a $216 million relief package aimed at businesses and workers who took the biggest hit from a four-week “pause” ordered by Gov. Tim Walz as increasing coronavirus cases threatened to overload hospitals.
The Senate voted 62-4 to approve the bill and sent it to the House.
Legislative leaders from both parties agreed last week on a key component of the package, a grant program for businesses such as bars and restaurants that the governor shut down last month for all but takeout and delivery service.
They also agreed Sunday night on the other major component of the bill, extending unemployment insurance for affected workers for 13 weeks starting Dec. 27.
The package does not include some proposals that lawmakers floated earlier in the discussion stages, such as $500 one-time stimulus payments to low-income families sought by Democrats or any easing of liquor laws to let restaurants and bars sell larger containers of beer or cocktails to go
Walz plans to announce Wednesday whether he’ll ease or extend any restrictions past Friday’s expiration date. The “pause” also shut down high school and other organized youth sports, which is the subject of a lawsuit.
