Govs On Deck – March 24, 2020

Good Tuesday afternoon and welcome to today’s edition of “Govs on Deck.” Yup, you read that right – we’re still daily.
Questions or suggestions? Send me a note at amestoy@dga.net. You can find us all on Twitter too – @A_Tall_Turner, @CEAmestoy, @JerusalemDemsas, and @andersonkayjay.
A different sort of week:
Because of the quickly evolving situation, we are changing this newsletter to become a daily roundup of how our states are responding to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Every day this week, we will send an overview of the actions our governors have taken the day before. We want this to be helpful, so let me know what other info/what other formats you’d like to see for these updates.
Dem Govs Get It Done:
NOTE: This is an overview of recent actions, not a comprehensive roundup of everything our incredible governors are doing. Want more examples? Send me an email and I can help you track down answers.
Stay home orders:

• HAWAII Gov. David IGE ordered the entire state to stay at home and work from home starting at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Mar. 25 through Apr. 30. Essential workers are exempt.
• NEW MEXICO Gov. Michelle LUJAN GRISHAM issued a stay at home order effective until April 10th. 
• PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom WOLF issued a stay at home order for Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, effective through April 6th. 
• OREGON Gov. Kate BROWN issued a stay at home order directing everyone in Oregon to stay at home to the maximum extent possible and adding to the list of businesses that will be temporarily closed.
• WASHINGTON Gov. Jay INSLEE issued a stay at home order lasting at least the next two weeks. 
• WISCONSIN Gov. Tony EVERS announced he will issue a stay at home order today.

Presidential Major Disaster Declaration:

• LOUISIANA Gov. John Bel EDWARDS requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. 

Small Business Administration request:

• Applications by HAWAII, KENTUCKY, WISCONSIN for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans were approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration.   

Business operations:

• MINNESOTA Gov. Tim WALZ signed an executive order authorizing the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to establish a Small Business Emergency Loan program for small businesses affected by the pandemic. 
• NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER directed additional businesses to close, including gyms, movie theaters and nail and hair salons.
• VIRGINIA Gov. Ralph NORTHAM signed an executive order directing the closure of non-essential businesses including entertainment and recreation businesses.
• WISCONSIN Gov. Tony EVERS ordered insurers to assist restaurants who are offering delivery service. Insurers must cover delivery services for restaurants on personal auto insurance policies and must offer coverage for hired drivers and non-owned automobiles as a rider on a restaurant’s general liability insurance if it is requested – both at no extra cost to the policyholders.

Public gatherings:

• KANSAS Gov. Laura KELLY will sign an executive order banning gatherings of more than 10 people. 
• NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER banned gatherings of more than 50 people. 
• VIRGINIA Gov. Ralph NORTHAM signed an executive order banning all gatherings of more than 10 people.

Elections:

• RHODE ISLAND Gov. Gina RAIMONDO ordered the state’s primary to be moved to June 2nd. 

Schools:

• DELAWARE Gov. John CARNEY ordered all Delaware schools to remain closed through at least Friday, May 15. 
• NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER extended school closures for K-12 schools through May 15th. 
• VIRGINIA Gov. Ralph NORTHAM ordered all K-12 schools to remain closed for the remainder of the academic year. 

Health care:

• ILLINOIS  Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued a proclamation to allow out-of-state physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and respiratory care therapists to provide care to residents. 
• MINNESOTA Gov. Tim WALZ signed an executive order directing all non-hospital entities to conduct an inventory of their personal protective equipment, ventilators, respirators, and anesthesia machines, report the result to the state, and either donate such equipment to a local coordinating entity or preserve it.  
• MINNESOTA Gov. Tim WALZ signed an executive order postponing all elective surgeries and procedures, including veterinary surgeries.
• NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil MURPHY signed an executive order suspending all elective surgeries and procedures. 
• NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMO signed an executive order requiring all hospitals to increase capacity by a minimum of 50 percent, with a goal of increasing capacity by 100 percent.

Child care:

• LOUISIANA is expanding the state’s Child Care Assistance Program, which assists families with child care expenses, to include “critical” workers regardless of income because of the coronavirus outbreak.
• VIRGINIA’s Department of Social Services issued updated guidance on child care services following the state’s closure of k-12 schools. 

Worker support:

• KANSAS Gov. Laura KELLY extended the tax filing deadline to July 15th. 
• KENTUCKY Gov. Andy BESHEAR announced changes to the state’s mass layoff parameters, asking any employer with at least 50 employees, who is laying off at least 15 employees to file a claim on behalf of their employees through the E-Claims process.

Response teams:

• NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER’s North Carolina COVID-19 Education and Nutrition Working Group is focusing on getting food to children who are out of school. 
• VIRGINIA has created a Coronavirus Fraud Task Force to identify, investigate, and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Other efforts:

• CONNECTICUT Gov. Ned LAMONT signed an executive order suspending certain requirements regarding the temporary hire of care workers at long-term care facilities.
• CONNECTICUT State Colleges and Universities are working with the state to create emergency shelters to house coronavirus patients.
• DELAWARE Gov. John CARNEY declared a public health emergency and released a more robust Order to assist with Delaware’s response to the coronavirus.
• ILLINOIS Gov. JB PRITZKER announced a partnership with the manufacturing and biotech industries to produce personal protective equipment.
• KANSAS Gov. Laura KELLY signed an executive order preventing all Kansas waste removal providers, trash and recycling, from cancelling or suspending commercial or residential services as a result of nonpayment due to significant loss of income or increase in expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• KANSAS Gov. Laura KELLY signed an executive order extending deadlines for driver’s licenses and vehicle registration renewals and regulations.
• KENTUCKY Gov. Andy BESHEAR established the Team Kentucky Fund, a fundraising platform designed to provide financial assistance to Kentuckians whose employment has been affected by COVID-19
• KENTUCKY Gov. Andy BESHEAR established the COVID-19 Reporting Hotline to report guideline noncompliance.
• MINNESOTA Gov. Tim WALZ signed an executive order suspending eviction proceedings during the COVID-19 peacetime emergency.
• MAINE will extend all expiring car registrations during the pandemic. 
• NEW JERSEY’s Treasury announced the freezing of nearly a billion dollars in spending. 
• NEW JERSEY will begin releasing some non-violent offenders from prison to help reduce prison populations. 
• RHODE ISLAND Gov. Gina RAIMONDO is ordering all residents traveling on domestic flights to self-quarantine for 14 days

Stay safe everyone and wash your hands!