State lawmakers working on deal to help businesses struggling during shutdown
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State lawmakers are working to come together on a deal to help businesses and unemployed Minnesotans struggling with the latest shutdown.
Senate Republicans and House Democrats have agreed to a $216 million dollar economic relief package for bars, restaurants, health clubs, movie theaters, conference centers and other local business impacted by the current shutdown.
"This is not about helping them thrive, this is about helping them actually survive and stay open," Sen. Eric Pratt, (R-Prior Lake) said during an informational hearing on Thursday.
But Lawmakers still need to come to an agreement on how long to extend unemployment benefits for Minnesotans. Those negotiations continue on Friday.
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The sun shines on the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Wednesday, May 15, 2019, as Gov. Tim Walz and top legislative leaders continued their budget talks.[AP Photo/Steve Karnowski]
The Republican-controlled Senate wants to extend the benefits five weeks, while DFL lawmakers are asking for 13 weeks.
Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove says the Walz administration will insist an unemployment benefit extension be part of any relief package.
"We do want to make sure that workers are taken care of on Monday in this package," Grove told lawmakers. "We fear that over 100,000 workers by the end of this month will be without unemployment insurance payments unless we act to help them because the federal government has not done that yet."
The legislature will meet for a seventh special session during the pandemic at 3 p.m. on Monday.