Minneapolis Extends Emergency Coronavirus Regulations

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis city lawmakers Thursday voted to extend emergency coronavirus regulations. The vote occurred on the day that Gov. Tim Walz's statewide COVID-19 peacetime emergency expires.

Mayor Jacob Frey and the Minneapolis City Council say they extended the regulations to support local businesses and workers in Minneapolis.

The extended regulations include:

Waiving late fees for renewal of food, taxi, liquor, wine, beer, or catering licenses until Sept. 30, 2021.

Suspending license renewal installment fees for liquor, wine or beer until Sept. 30, 2021.

Easing several zoning and licensing regulations specific to restaurants and bars until Sept. 30, 2021.

Setting rules for third-party food delivery platforms and services extended until Sept. 30, 2021.

Granting an additional 80 hours sick leave available to certain employees to use for COVID-19-related situations through Dec. 31, 2021.

Amending certain paid leaves for qualified emergency responders subject to provisions of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act through Dec. 31, 2023.

There remains no citywide mask mandate. Frey moved to immediately lift the city's local mask mandate on June 1.

Gov. Tim Walz's Emergency Powers End Thursday

Walz will end his own emergency powers Thursday after more than a year. Walz has employed additional powers since he declared the state's coronavirus peacetime state of emergency in March 2020.

"The COVID-19 peacetime emergency allowed us to respond quickly and effectively to the pandemic this past year," Walz said in a news release.

Read more here.