On the Senate Floor today, Senator Aric Putnam (DFL – St. Cloud) moved to immediately pass legislation that would have fully replenished the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and provided frontline worker bonus pay for 667,000 Minnesotans.
“Minnesotans have made clear that they expect timely action on both these issues. When the pandemic hit, workers on the front lines stepped up for the rest of us and small businesses closed their doors when the state asked them to,” said Senator Putnam. “While they did what they needed to, the legislature has failed to honor our workers and small businesses. Today we had a chance to put partisanship aside and put Minnesotans first.”
The urgency has only increased as Minnesota must begin to make payments on the loans from the federal government to fill the UI Trust Fund on Tuesday, March 15. Additionally, while a legislative working group was tasked with finding an agreement on frontline worker pay bonuses they are still waiting for their checks. Despite this urgency, Senate Republicans voted against moving this legislation forward, which needed 45 votes to pass.
“We asked some people to go to work and we asked some people to stay home. We owe all of them action today,” said Senator Putnam. “Though I’m disappointed in today’s result, I will continue to fight to put Minnesotans ahead of partisan politics.”
Learn more about Sen. Putnam.
Read more news from Sen. Putnam.