2020 Legislative Session

May 17 - Last Day of Session - Sine Die

Capitol So Quiet You Could Hear Paint Peeling

Brian Pease, Capitol Historical Site Manager, takes the time on the last day of the 2020 Session to make an inventory of where the paint is peeling off the walls around the Capitol building. The COVID-19 pandemic made the last day of the session so quiet with no lobbyists, reporters or protests moving around the building that you could almost hear the paint pealing off the walls. The only constant sound was the Senate and House clerks’ calling the roll of members voting right up to Sine Die at midnight.

May 8 - Innovative COVID-19 Testing

A booth about the size of a phone booth is the latest innovative way to test people that may have contracted the COVID-19 virus. The booth was the invention of the University of Minnesota Science and Engineering Dept in partnership with M Health Fairview. Nine of the booths will be place around the Twin Cities and will be able to do up to 24 tests an hour. The biggest advantage of the booths is the savings of the use of PPE such as gowns, gloves, shields and face masks.

April 30 - Around St. Paul - Masks & Social Distancing

Gov. Tim Walz announced April 30 that the stay-at-home order would be in affect until May 19. A variety of retail business can start curbside pickup of purchases while bars and restaurants will remain take-out only until May 18.

April 14 - Emergency Insulin & 4th COVID-19 Bills

The House meets to take up the Insulin Conference Committee Report on HF3100 the Emergency Insulin bill and fourth COVID-19 bill HF4556 dealing with marriage licenses, farmers debt relief, the courts, food shelves and uninsured corona virus testing and treatment.

April 13 - Remote House Ways & Means Hearing

Rep.Lyndon Carlson Sr., chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, conducts a remote hearing from the family room of his home in Crystal. The chairman asked MMB Commissioer Myron Frans during the hearing if it would be better to have a full budget forecast in May rather than a budget projection.

April 5 - Remote State of the State

Gov.Tim Walz presents his State of the State address remotely from the Governor’s Residence where he is quarantined after coming in contact with part of his security detail that had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

April 4 - CDC Recommends Face Masks & Social Distancing

A grocery shopper takes the CDC’s recommendation that people wear cloth or fabric face coverings when entering a grocery store, pharmacy and other public spaces. The CDC continues to recommend that people use social distancing to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

March 26 - Streaming Help For The People On The Front Line Fight Against COVID-19 & Stay At Home Order

House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler presents his $330 million fiscal and policy bill that will be the state's response in the effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill passed the House on a vote of 99-4 and the Senate 67-0. Federal relief funding is expected to cover most of the cost of the bill.

This is the second COVID-19 related bill to be acted on by the legislature so far this session. The two bills have a cost of $550 million for the much needed help and resources to the people on the front line of the pandemic. There may be more pandemic spending bills to come before the legislature adjourns sine die in May.

Gov. Tim Walz has executed an executive order for Minnesotans to stay at home beginning March 27 for two weeks.