2021 LEGISLATIVE VOTING RECORD

The 2021 Legislative Session was defined by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, considerable financial uncertainty, unprecedented levels of federal stimulus and the state operating under 16 months of emergency powers. With the Legislature, lobbyists and stakeholders working remotely, a record number of bills were introduced, many of which were unrealistic and overly ambitious given the constraints of the session and the partisan make-up of the nation’s only split legislature (House controlled by Democrats, Senate controlled by Republicans). 

The regular session started in January and concluded May 17, requiring a 16-day special session to complete the state’s fiscal years 2022-23 budget and avoid a shutdown. 

The budget forecast unexpectedly changed from a $1.2 billion deficit in November to a $1.6 billion surplus in February. In March, the federal government provided Minnesota $2.83 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Guidance on use of these funds was provided in mid-May—the primary reason for the special session. Local governments, higher education institutions, public schools, hospitals and child care facilities received over $5 billion in federal emergency funds directly. In addition to the surplus and federal funds, state budget reserves are at robust levels of $1.88 billion. State government spending is projected to be $2.83 billion under current law for FY 2022/23 (6.8% growth over previous budgets). 

Even with a large surplus and record federal funding, Governor Walz and the House DFL majority aligned on proposals to enact new permanent tax increases to fund new spending. The proposed tax increases included a new 5th tier for individual income tax, corporate rate increase; surcharge on capital gains; and higher taxes on corporate foreign earnings. The Senate Republicans were opposed to any new tax increases and argued spending needs could be prioritized with current law resources and the additional federal dollars.

The Minnesota Chamber’s approach with policymakers was to “do no harm” to employers and the still recovering economy. We succeeded in helping to stabilize businesses that had suffered economic disruption and damage, protected employers from onerous mandates, and positioned the economy to not just recover but to grow. 

TAX - SUPPORT EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (PAGE 4)

WORKPLACE - MAINTAIN BENEFIT FLEXIBILITY (PAGE 6)

HEALTH CARE - ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE (PAGE 7)

ENERGY - PROMOTE RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, CLEANER ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY (PAGE 8)

WORKFORCE - PROMOTE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (PAGE 9)

TRANSPORTATION - SUPPORT SAFE, RELIABLE INFRASTRUCTURE (PAGE 10)

ENVIRONMENT - PROMOTE EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING (PAGE 11)

Minnesota Main Street COVID Relief Grants to Begin Accepting Applications September 20th

Informational Resources Available

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) will begin accepting applications for the Main Street COVID Relief Grants Program on September 20th. This program was approved by the Minnesota State Legislature and signed by Gov. Tim Walz on June 30, 2021.

A total of $64,200,000 is available in grants for Minnesotan owned and operated businesses that can demonstrate financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Businesses that are majority-owned by military veterans, women, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color individuals; employ 6 people or fewer; and/or did not receive previous assistance from other state relief programs will be prioritized in the selection process. Funding will be distributed in a 50/50 split between the Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota.

Applicants that qualify and are selected will receive a grant amount between $10,000 and $25,000 based on the number of full-time equivalent (FTEs) employees on staff. To be eligible, businesses must operate in Minnesota and be majority owned by a resident of Minnesota. Additional eligibility requirements and application information can be found at DEED’s Main Street COVID Relief Grants Program page.

Previous relief programs include the Small Business Emergency Loan program, the Small Business Relief Grant Program, the Movie Theater and Convention Center Relief Grant program, and the County Relief Grant program.

They will be holding informational sessions; please find the dates and details below.

Tuesday, September 14th at 11:00am

Monday, September 20th at 10:00am

The application portal will open September 20, 2021 and will accept applications for 10 days after opening. Applications will close on September 29 at 11:59 p.m. Afterward, grant applications will be selected for consideration through a computer-generated, randomized selection process. For more information and learn more about where to register for the sessions, please click HERE

Governor Walz announced a three-step process that will lead to an end of all COVID-19 business and social gathering capacity limits, distancing requirements, and state-established mandatory closing times by May 28, and an end to the statewide masking requirement by no later than July 1. 

Here are some highlights for the new guidance, which you’ll see reflected in updates on the Stay Safe MN website: 

· Step One: Starting at Noon tomorrow, May 7, initial steps to relax some state restrictions, primarily in outdoor settings.

o Remove limits for outdoor dining, events, and other get-togethers, and end the mask requirement outdoors, except at events with controlled access over 500 people. So unless you’re in a very large crowd at a formal event, you don’t need to wear a mask when you’re outside.

o Provide recommendations (not state restrictions) for fairs, parades, and other outdoor celebrations to highlight best practices to stay safe and make summer in Minnesota great.

o Increase occupancy and group size for all indoor activities and events, moving capacity percentages up and removing all overall caps.

o Eliminate the mandatory closing time provision and increase table size and group size to 10. 

· Step Two: On May 28, the Friday before Memorial Day, nearly all other restrictions will come to an end, including for indoor events and gatherings. Certain requirements will remain:

o Face coverings indoors and for the largest outdoor events (500 and above) with controlled access. 

o Businesses must continue to have plans that keep their employees safe – as they have from the beginning of the pandemic – guided by one universal state guidance document that will include no new requirements. 

o Important consumer protections will remain in place, including the eviction moratorium and anti-price gouging order.

· Step Three: The remaining statewide face covering requirement and the requirement for business preparedness plans will end once 70% of Minnesotans aged 16+ get their vaccine – that’s 3,087,404 Minnesotans – but no later than July 1.

Critical work on vaccines will continue and local jurisdictions and other entities may still require masks.

As of March 30, all Minnesotans 16 years of age and older will be eligible to receive a vaccine. Minnesota has directed providers to prioritize vaccine appointments for people most at risk of getting COVID-19, or those who could develop severe illness if infected. This includes older Minnesotans, those with underlying health conditions, and those in essential jobs.

How to help employees receive a vaccine:

• Help employees find where to get vaccinated: They can receive them through the health care provider, at a pharmacy and others. The state offers a vaccine locator map to help employers and employees.
• Host an on-site vaccination: Just like hosting an on-site flu clinic, a vaccine provider or health care provider could help you vaccine employees on-site. Contact your health care provider or sign up through the Minnesota Department of Health.

 How to get a vaccine: 

• Click here to access the state's Vaccine Locator Map to find vaccine providers near you. 
• Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.
• Sign up for the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector. 

Sign UP for the Vaccine Connector HERE

The Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector is a tool that helps Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get a COVID-19 vaccine. After you fill out a simple form, the Vaccine Connector will connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment and notify you if there are vaccine opportunities in your area.

RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES

GUIDANCE ON REOPENING BUSINESSES

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COVID-19 PREPAREDNESS PLAN TEMPLATE AND INSTRUCTION

• Minnesota Department of Revenue details on business tax changes – Details on the sales tax payment extension for eligible businesses.
• Minnesota Department of Economic Development resources for employers – Information on staffing, hours, unemployment insurance and assistance for small businesses. 
• Coronavirus and unemployment insurance – Specific details on mandatory or voluntary quarantines, changes in hourly work or layoffs, and COVID-19 related costs. 
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) guidance for employers – Links to information on small business products and loans, guidance on access to capital and the local assistance directory. 
• Department of Labor and Industries’ “worker protections” – A summary of FMLA, sick leave, unemployment insurance. 
• Force majeure and Coronavirus – Understand how the “act of God” concept relates to contracts under the Coronavirus. 
• Minnesota Department of Commerce Licensing Unit guide – Information for Minnesota licensees, regulated entities and consumers during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
• List of Executive Orders from Governor Tim Walz

COVID-19 VACCINE RESOURCES

Once 70% of our seniors are vaccinated, Minnesota will expand eligibility based on underlying health conditions and workplace exposure risk.

• COVID-19 vaccine FAQ from the Minnesota Department of Health
• Minnesota Guidance for Allocating and Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccine – Phase 1a from the Minnesota Department of Health
• Answering patients' questions about a COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC
• COVID-19 Vaccine Phases and Planning from the Minnesota Department of Health
• December 17 COVID-19 vaccine update from the Department of Health to the Senate HHS Committee
• COVID-19 vaccine data: Vaccine administration in Minnesota from the Minnesota Department of Health
• COVID-19 vaccine dashboard from the Minnesota Department of Health
• General vaccine information from the Minnesota Department of Health
• Myths and facts about the COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC
• COVID-19 vaccine facts and FAQs for business leaders from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
•  Minnesota Vaccine Connector from the State of Minnesota

ANSWERING HUMAN RESOURCES VACCINE QUESTIONS

• What to know about communicating, legal compliance and more from HR Executive
• HR’s next big job: Convincing employees to get COVID vaccines from HR Executive
• 4 takeaways for HR from the EEOC guidance on COVID-19 vaccines from HR Executive
• Employers can legally require COVID vaccines—but will they? from HR Executive
• What to consider before implementing a mandatory vaccine policy from TLNT
• Why an employer vaccine mandate could spark backlash from workers from HR Executive
• Don’t have a COVID-19 vaccine strategy? It’s time to make one from HR Executive
• Developing a vaccination strategy from SHRM
• Why many employers are turning to incentives to boost vaccination rates from HR Executive
• Research: Most employers unlikely to mandate vaccinations from HR Executive
• Vaccine Considerations for Employers  from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE

• Minnesota Department of Economic Development resources for employers – Information on staffing, hours, unemployment insurance and assistance for small businesses. 
• Coronavirus and unemployment insurance – Specific details on mandatory or voluntary quarantines, changes in hourly work or layoffs, and COVID-19 related costs. 
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry's “worker protections” – A summary of FMLA, sick leave, unemployment insurance.
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry – Frequently asked questions for employers and employees related to COVID-19
• Minnesota Council – Society of Human Resource Management (MNSHRM) – Resources for HR professionals (login required).
• U.S. Department of Labor guide to FMLA in public health emergencies
• U.S. Department of Labor guidance on paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave benefits
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act FAQs
• Workplace poster for paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
• Employer Guide on Coronavirus Paid Leave Programs from the U.S Chamber of Commerce
• Workers’ compensation coverage for employees who contract COVID-19 – An FAQ from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• DEED Unemployment Insurance Statistics
• MNOSHA COVID-19 Compliance
• Independent Contractor’s Guide to CARES Act Relief from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• COVID-19 prevention best practices from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
• DEED guide for businesses
• DEED guide for employees
• Frequently asked questions
• OSHA’s Response to Workplace Safety and Coronavirus Exposure – guidance to cover three of the main questions: how should employers protect their employees; do employers have to record cases of COVID-19 on their injury logs; and how will OSHA conduct enforcement related to Coronavirus?
• Information on health coverage – A guide from the U.S. Chamber on options for individuals who have lost employer-sponsored coverage due to the coronavirus
• Unemployment insurance under the CARES Act – A guide from the U.S. Chamber
• Federal Liability Problems and Solutions – A guide from the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform
• Healthier Buildings: Guidelines for Commercial Ventilation and Employee Health webinar from Chamber member 75F
• COVID-19 Preparedness Plan templates and instructions from Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• Minnesota Chamber of Commerce return to work checklist
• Ready to Reopen: A Playbook for Your Small Business from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Open for Business poster PDF from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
•  "Please keep 6 feet apart" workplace floor sticker from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
• Information on the executive order requiring the wearing of a face covering in all public indoor spaces and businesses:
• Full text of Executive Order 20-81
• Face covering requirements and recommendations under Executive Order 20-81
• Frequently asked questions
• Signage for business to communicate face covering requirements
• National Association of Manufacturers overview of Senate HEALS Act
•  Interim COVID-19 Vaccination Plan from the Minnesota Department of Health
•  6 things you need to know about COVID-19 testing in Minnesota from the Star Tribune
•  COVID-19 Recommendations for Critical Infrastructure Businesses and Industries from the Minnesota Department of Health