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Govs On Deck – April 9, 2020

Govs on Deck

Good Thursday afternoon and welcome to today’s edition of “Govs on Deck” – the one thing keeping me aware of what day of the week it is. We’re still here, we’re still daily, and we hope you are all safe and healthy.
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.
Regional efforts:

  • NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMONEW JERSEY Gov. Phil MURPHY, and CONNECTICUT Gov. Ned LAMONT announced they will take a regional approach to reopening the economy when it is safe to do so, mirroring the coordinated shutdown they undertook to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Stay at home orders:

  • MINNESOTA Gov. Tim WALZ extended the state’s stay at home order through May 4th. 

Federal requests:

  • WASHINGTON Gov. Jay INSLEE announced that the Department of Defense field hospital currently stationed at the Century Link Field Event Center will be returned to FEMA so it can be deployed to another state facing a more significant need.  

Public gatherings:

  • COLORADO Gov. Jared POLIS released guidance on social distancing for religious services for the upcoming holidays.  
  • NEVADA Gov. Steve SISOLAK signed an emergency directive expanding his social distancing emergency directives. The new directive bans in-person worship services with more than 10 people, closes sporting and recreational venues, halts in-person “open houses” for real estate, and adds additional limitations to grocery store operations among other requirements.

Elections:

  • MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS moved the state’s June 9th primary election to July 14th. 
  • NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil MURPHY postponed the state’s June 2nd primaries until July 7th. 
  • NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMO issued an executive order ensuring New Yorkers can vote by absentee ballot in the June 23rd primary elections.
  • VIRGINIA Gov. Ralph NORTHAM requested the General Assembly move the May General Election and all special elections scheduled for May 5th to the November 3rd General Election date. Northam also moved the June primary elections from June 9th to June 23rd.

Schools:

  • MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS is recommending that schools remain closed for the remainder of the academic year. 
  • OREGON Gov. Kate BROWN extended school closures through the end of the academic year.  
  • PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom WOLF extended school closures through the end of the academic year.

Business operations:

  • NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil MURPHY signed an executive order imposing additional mitigation requirements on essential retail businesses and essential industries. Requirements include limiting the number of individuals in essential businesses at one time, imposing cleaning and hygiene requirements, and immediately separating and sending home workers who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
  • VIRGINIA Gov. Ralph NORTHAM issued an executive directive authorizing the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to defer annual fees for licenses and permits that would be up for renewal through June and to allow establishments with mixed beverage licenses, such as restaurants and distilleries, to sell mixed beverages through takeout or delivery.

Health care:

  • CONNECTICUT Gov. Ned LAMONT announced a partnership with Connecticut’s long-term care facilities to collaborate on a medical surge plan that includes the establishment of COVID-19 recovery centers in nursing homes to accept patients who can be discharged from acute care hospitals, but are still impacted by COVID19 infection. 
  • DELAWARE’s Division of Public Health issued guidance recommending that Delawareans should wear cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. 
  • MICHIGAN Gov. Gretchen WHITMER signed an executive order temporarily suspending requirements regarding licensing and regulation of emergency medical services.
  • MICHIGAN has selected the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, in collaboration with Ascension Michigan, as the site of a second alternate care facility.
  • NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMO announced that Delta, JetBlue and United are offering free travel to New York for COVID-19 medical workers. To date, more than 90,000 health professionals, including more than 25,000 out-of-state individuals, have signed up to serve.
  • NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER signed an executive order allowing out of state licensed workers to practice in North Carolina during the emergency and may allow retired health care professionals, students training for health care jobs and unlicensed, skilled volunteers to provide care.
  • NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER signed an executive order granting more flexibility in using and moving resources, such as beds, dialysis stations, CT and MRI scanners so that hospitals can more quickly increase the number of beds to take critically ill patients and allow an ambulatory surgical facility to operate as a temporary hospital. 

PPE / equipment supplies:

  • PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom WOLF signed an executive order providing critical aid to hospitals with targeted PPE and supplies distribution by ensuring the efficient allocation and effective use of critical medical resources by hospitals in the state.
  • RHODE ISLAND Gov. Gina RAIMONDO announced that Job Lot is making free fabric available to all Rhode Island residents to make their own fabric face coverings. 

Worker / family support:

  • MINNESOTA Gov. Tim WALZ signed an executive order expanding workers’ compensation eligibility for emergency first responders and front-line workers. The bill now allows front-line workers to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if they test positive for COVID-19. 
  • NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMO directed the State Department of Labor to immediately make $600 in additional weekly unemployment benefits available to all New Yorkers. New York is also extending the period covered by unemployment benefits for another 13 weeks, for a total of 39 weeks.

Child care:

  • CONNECTICUT’s Office of Early Childhood added child care facilities at 29 hospitals to serve essential workers. 
  • NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER signed an executive order allowing childcare facilities to remain open or to reopen to care for children of essential business workers, children who are receiving child welfare services, or children who are homeless or living in unstable or unsafe living arrangements. 

Public communication efforts:

  • COLORADO Gov. Jared POLIS announced a new website with free resources to support Coloradans while they are at home, from wellness, to services, to education, to entertainment and more. 
  • NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMO launched a multi-platform, multi-language education and awareness campaign to reach all New Yorkers across the state in all zip codes including hard-to-reach communities. The campaign will emphasize the state’s core message to stay home and will expand outreach and awareness of this critical mandate to new and wider audiences. 

Response Task Forces / Volunteer efforts:

  • COLORADO Gov. Jared POLIS announced that the Help Colorado Now relief efforts have raised nearly $10 million.  
  • HAWAII Gov. David IGE announced the appointment of veteran business executive and community leader Alan M. Oshima to lead the state’s efforts to develop and implement a plan for economic and community stabilization, recovery and resiliency.

Other efforts:

  • MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS signed an executive order allowing remote notarization.
  • MICHIGAN Gov. Gretchen WHITMER signed an executive order waiving International Fuel Tax Association credentialing requirements for trucks carrying emergency medical supplies, sanitary supplies and key personnel.
  • NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil MURPHY signed an executive order allowing an increase in the maximum weight limit on certain interstate highways and toll roads for vehicles transporting COVID-19 relief supplies.
  • NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil MURPHY signed an executive order ceasing all non-essential construction projects.
  • NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER issued new directives requiring all workers in long-term care facilities to wear masks when interacting with patients and daily health screenings of residents and staff.
  • RHODE ISLAND Gov. Gina RAIMONDO announced that the state has partnered with SalesForce to make the contact tracing process more efficient. 

Stay safe everyone and wash your hands!