Bill to Distribute $1 Billion in COVID Worker Bonuses Passes MN House

Fibonacci Blue / CC

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KWNO)-The Minnesota House passed a bill that would spread $1 billion in bonuses to 667,000 Minnesotans deemed essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Last year, the legislature allocated $250 million for frontline workers, but lawmakers could not agree on how to parse up the money. The legislation would distribute one-time checks of $1,500 for qualified workers. 

Winona DFL Rep. Gene Pelowski, who voted for the bill, told KWNO he doesn’t expect the legislation to get out of the state Senate. 

“The Senate will reject our bill. That will send it conference committee and then you’ll have five House members and five Senators work on a conference committee report. A conference committee report, once it comes back, cannot be amended. It’s either a yes or no vote,” Pelowski said.  

Yesterday the GOP-led Senate proposed the largest tax cut in Minnesota history. Republicans have been opposed to quadrupling the amount of money set aside for worker bonuses.  

“Instead of picking some workers and not others, we’re going to provide tax relief for all working Minnesotans across the board,” Sen. Majority Leader Jeremy Miller during an interview on KWNO’s In the Know Thursday.