Stimulus Check Update: You May Receive New Cash Payments Worth $5,500 If You Live in This State

The Alaska Senate adopted a state spending bill on Tuesday that included $5,500 cash handouts to Alaskans.

Residents will get around $4,200 in dividends this year, as well as $1,300 in energy relief checks. As Americans battle with record-high inflation and soaring gas costs, fueled in part by Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, Alaska's vote comes as several other governments explore making more direct payments to their inhabitants.

Alaskans May Receive $5,500 Stimulus Check

The bill passed 15-5 and was forwarded to the House of Representatives, which will determine whether to accept the Senate's version. However, lawmakers feel it is more likely to be rejected by the House. If that happens, a conference committee of legislators from both houses will have to achieve an agreement.

The House passed a version of the budget last month that included a $1,250 dividend and a $1,300 energy rebate. In recent years, lawmakers have been split on the size of the dividend, which is paid out of the Alaska Permanent Reserve, the state's oil-wealth fund.

During a budget discussion on Monday, the Senate voted 10-9 in favor of a $4,200 dividend. The cost of such a large payout would be approximately $2.8 billion, compared to $840 million for the planned energy payment. Supporters of the Senate budget stated that Alaskans may benefit from the assistance while detractors expressed worries about the program's potential budgetary ramifications.

Republican Alaska House Speaker Louise Stutes chastised conservative state Senate legislators for voting for a budget that will deplete the state's reserves. Stutes predicted that the Senate's budget will be voted on by the House on Wednesday evening or Thursday early. The Alaska State Legislature has until May 18 to enact a budget or a special session would be called, Newsweek reported.

Baltimore Provides $1,000 in Stimulus Payments

Following the cessation of federal stimulus payments, some states are exploring basic assistance programs to assist citizens in surviving the pandemic. Citizens are dealing with the aftermath of a deadly pandemic, and it will be some time before the economy recovers enough to allow people to subsist without relying on outside help.

People have been living on the streets and in their cars with their children. The Baltimore guaranteed income pilot program provides $1,000 per month to young parents aged 18 to 24. Beneficiary parents must earn less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level. For a three-person household, this equates to about $69,000 per year. On Monday, a limited application window started and concluded at noon. The number of selected candidates is restricted, and 200 parents will be chosen to participate in the experiment through an open lottery.

The stimulus fund provides unconstrained assistance, allowing recipients to spend the money any way they see suitable. The $4.8 million deducted from the $641 million given by the federal government under the federal Rescue Plan will fund the stimulus check payment, as per Digital Market News.

Minnesota Approves $750 Stimulus Check-in Each Eligible Citizens

Governor Tim Walz's office announced a bipartisan agreement to offer an extra stimulus check to frontline employees and small business owners on April 28. The revelation comes as the likelihood of another round of government stimulus payments is decreasing.

Speaker Melissa Hortman also stated that the new package's top priority is to ensure that frontline workers, who worked every day even during the worst days of the pandemic, receive the bonuses promised last year. Governor Walz said in a statement that his state "continues to show the country" that a divided legislature can still "come together to get things done."

The idea was formally authorized by the Minnesota House of Representatives in February. The bill increased the $250 million funding for "Hero Pay" frontline worker stimulus payments that were authorized earlier this year.

The payout would be made to frontline staff who stayed to work after the pandemic began in 2020. Teachers, healthcare workers, grocery store workers, correctional officers, and others who continue to work in person are included in the new legislation package's phrase frontline workers, which is wider than Republicans intended. Residents of Minnesota who are unclear if they qualify for the checks can apply online and wait for a state authority to assess their eligibility, Unica News reported.