The 2020 legislative deadline is quickly approaching ... and, of course, COVID-19 is sidelining some lawmakers' earlier goals. But as Tim Pugmire reports, DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman says the pandemic makes the case for a big bonding bill: “There are two major concerns that Minnesotans have. One is their health and the second is their economic future. And what we can do to invest in their economic future is pass a bill that puts people to work." Gov. Tim Walz agrees: “My commitment to the bonding proposals and what I felt was a responsible and robust proposal has not changed,” he said recently. “In fact, my commitment to it is strengthened now. It makes absolute sense to view it as a stimulus act.”
Minnesota tribes are still await federal pandemic aid that was designated for them. Dan Gunderson reports: "President Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act coronavirus aid package into law in late March. But the Trump administration missed the deadline on Sunday to distribute the funds. In a court filing late Friday, the government said no aid would be distributed before Tuesday. That delay has left many tribal nations — including the 11 in Minnesota — waiting for funds they say are desperately needed."
Minnesota lawmakers could soon get more control over federal COVID-19 money. Via Brian Bakst: "A bill that would require legislative signoff for the money to be spent passed [the Senate] 42-25, with a handful of DFLers joining majority Republicans in support. More than $1.86 billion has been sent Minnesota’s way already. Hennepin and Ramsey counties have separately received more than $300 million combined. Senate Finance Committee Chair Julie Rosen, R-Vernon Center, said lawmakers deserve as much input as Gov. Tim Walz to decide where the state’s share goes. 'The Legislature is the body that is equipped to allocate and manage the money that the federal government has appropriated,' she said. 'And clearly the Legislature is the one to take the responsibility for the decisions of this appropriation.'"
Before the coronavirus hit, public health labs were faced major budget cuts for the past decade. APM Reports' latest investigation found that "labs in at least 10 states have been forced to deal with challenges that include budget reductions, staffing cuts, high turnover, lab closures and funding delays for equipment. ... Moreover, 25 states and Washington, D.C. saw cuts to overall public health spending between 2008 and 2018, according to data compiled by the State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota. The reductions came despite repeated warnings from government agencies and experts that the public health system wasn't prepared for a pandemic or biological attack."
The economic fallout from the coronavirus continues to pile up. From our continuing coverage: "The latest on the economic pain came from Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen, who told reporters that hogs will need to be euthanized because COVID-19 forced several large regional processing plants to shut, leaving local producers with nowhere to ship tens of thousands of hogs weekly. He called it a 'very precarious situation.' Consumers may also see higher meat prices, although the 'food supply is stable,' he added."
