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Govs On Deck – October 5, 2020

Govs on Deck

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Happy Monday and welcome to today’s edition of “Govs on Deck!” As a reminder, your favorite newsletter comes out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 


As always, 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.


We want this to be helpful, so let us 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.


COVID-19 response:


Emergency declarations:


  • DELAWARE Gov. John CARNEY extended his state of emergency declaration by 30 days.


Reopening efforts:


  • ILLINOIS’ Department of Public Health reported 28 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for COVID-19. 
  • MICHIGAN Gov. Gretchen WHITMER signed an executive order moving the Upper Peninsula region back to phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan. 
  • NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMO announced that the Commissioner of Health will send an order to COVID-19 hot spot local governments today establishing a framework for reporting their enforcement activities and setting specific consequences for failure to enforce the State Department of Health Emergency Regulations and the governor’s Executive Orders related to social distancing, mask compliance, and capacity limitations. If local governments do not enforce these legally binding requirements, they will be in violation of the order and can be subject to fines.
  • OREGON Gov. Kate BROWN announced that two counties—Benton and Clatsop—have been added to the County Watch List. This brings the total number of counties on the Watch List to three.


Public gatherings:


  • NEVADA Gov. Steve SISOLAK announced that he will be issuing an emergency directive lifting restrictions on youth and adult sports and adjusting the COVID-19 statewide guidance on sports. The new directive and accompanying guidance will allow for practice, training and competitions for non-contact and minimal-contact sports statewide for both youth and adult sports. 


Business support:


  • PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom WOLF announced that an additional $96 million in state grants have been approved for 5,373 Pennsylvania small businesses that were impacted by the business closure order due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.


Testing, tracing, and vaccinations:


  • DELAWARE Gov. John CARNEY announced pop-up school testing locations as many schools prepare to return to school for in-person learning as part of their hybrid return-to-school plan.


Worker support:


  • MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS announced that her administration has dedicated an additional $25 million in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds to Maine’s unemployment insurance trust fund. The investment, which builds on the Mills Administration’s previous allocation of $269 million, is expected to significantly reduce an anticipated employer tax increase for 2021 while ensuring benefits are available for those who need them.


Public communication:


  • WISCONSIN Gov. Tony EVERS announced that Wisconsin’s statewide COVID-19 information and resources website received a bronze Summit Creative Award in the Coronavirus Response category out of more than 4,000 submissions from 27 countries.


Beyond COVID-19 


Natural disasters:


  • NEW YORK Gov. Andrew CUOMO announced that a third DEC crew is traveling to the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center in Denver, where they will be assigned to assist firefighting efforts underway in western states and that two additional DEC Forest Rangers are being deployed to fight wildland fires in California. 
  • OREGON’s Debris Management Task Force, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have finalized plans to remove and dispose of hazardous materials from burned properties—free of charge to property owners.


Economic development:


  • NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER announced that Triple Aught Design, a US-based adventure gear company, will create 70 new jobs in McDowell County.


Other efforts:


  • VIRGINIA Gov. Ralph NORTHAM announced that the 14th cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station successfully launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A located on Wallops Island. 
  • VIRGINIA Gov. Ralph NORTHAM announced that Smithfield Foods has donated $100,000 to the Commonwealth of Virginia to support programs for homeless veterans and their families. 


Stay safe everyone, wear a mask, and wash your hands! See you on Wednesday!