Word on the Street

(What our Analysts are hearing from government)

• Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz, postponed his State of the State address originally scheduled for this week to a date yet-to-be-determined.
• Commonwealth of Kentucky has limited bidders from personally delivering bids and proposals.  Bidders are encouraged to use the US Postal Services or other delivery methods such as UPS, FedEx, etc. 
• Deadlines are being pushed for submitting proposals and responses in Los Angeles City, California.
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LAWDP) has suspended in-person public bid openings, the hand-delivery of bids, and in-person pre-proposal meetings.

General 

• Local governments get creative to fit open meeting laws amidst COVID-19 pandemic
• (Utah) Gov. Herbert unveils 3-phase economic plan in response to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Governor Gary Herbert has announced a three-phase plan to support the State’s economy through the coronavirus crisis.
• Hundreds pledge to help state, local government solve coronavirus challenges
  • A network of various leaders in the tech industry have formed a response group and are offering their assistance to state and local governments.
• (New Jersey) Don’t call the number Murphy gave to report employers on coronavirus. Here’s why.
  • Less than an hour after Gov. Phil Murphy provided a phone number to file complaints against employers in New Jersey violating his executive order to combat the coronavirus, the phone line became overloaded and was redirecting emergency calls, officials said.
• [Massachusetts] hires local company to power coronavirus message distribution
  • Burlington-based Everbridge announced a contract Monday, a day before Gov. Charlie Baker announced that his administration would be using the platform to distribute updates during the state of emergency related to the virus.

Funding & Economic Impact 

• Congress gives hospitals $100B they demanded in coronavirus package
• The Health 202: Coronavirus stimulus package includes $150 billion for medical centers and workers
• Florida’s budget to take big hit as sales taxes collapse
• (Maryland) STATE ROUNDUP: AS COVID-19 CASES RISE, BUSINESS OWNERS SEEK HELP FROM THE STATE

Technology 

• Digital medical licenses could help doctors practice across state lines
  • Merit, a software company that specializes in digital professional licenses, is offering free access to its platform for doctors and health professionals.
• New Jersey's new coronavirus website lets users ask questions
  • New Jersey residents have access to the state’s emergency coronavirus website which allows for immediate responses to questions.
• The 7 habits of highly effective coronavirus websites
  • This article outlines successful elements of COVID-19 response websites, such as sharing actionable information, using maps and data, and keeping interface and functionality simple and user-friendly.
• IBM, Weather Channel launch county-level coronavirus tracker
  • IBM and the Weather Channel have launched a free tool to track reported cases of COVID-19.
• Tech giants, government agencies pledge supercomputing to fight COVID-19
  • The COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium has been formed and consists of IBM, AWS, Google, HPE, and Microsoft as well as US National Labs, NASA, MIT, the White House Office of Science and Technology, among others to use advanced technology to combat the virus.

Higher Education

• Education Department has asked private collection agencies it contracts with to stop collection activities against the borrowers
  • This is the latest update on how the economic stimulus package impacts those impacted by loan debt
• Senate Bill Money for Institutions 'Woefully Inadequate'
  • The federal government proposal said it includes $30.75 billion in grants
  • These grants are set to support local systems and higher ed institutions in their continuing efforts to provide education services to their students
• Early Graduation for NYU Medical Students (New York, New York – New York University)
  • This initiative is designed to have the graduates aid in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic
• Six-Month Loan Deferment in Senate Bill
  • This brings the total deferment to September 30, 2020 and extends the initial 60 day period to 6 months

K-12 Education

• Coronavirus in Oklahoma: State Board of Education votes to keep school buildings closed, canceling remaining spring sports (Oklahoma)
  • The State moves to cancel all instruction and close facilities for the 2019-20 school year
• Maryland public schools closure extended amid coronavirus pandemic (Maryland)
  • The closure of Maryland public schools amid the coronavirus pandemic has been extended for four more weeks
  • Maryland is turning focus to students on food support programs to ensure they are receiving resources
• Despite coronavirus closures, no school past June 30 for Pa. students; Philly may buy 50k Chromebooks (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Rural areas of Pennsylvania are most affected with accessibility issues in regards to wifi availability
  • Deputy Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education is relying on “good faith” of school districts to address equity and develop learning continuity plans

Health Care

• National Governors Association’s Gubernatorial Strategies for Telehealth
• Local, state health officials discuss latest COVID-19 changes
  • Maryland: the state is considering when and where drive-thru test facilities could be installed.
• Health IT heavy-hitters join forces for COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition
  • Prominent health IT companies like Microsoft, AWS, Epic, and more have joined the new COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition, created with a single aim of saving lives by helping healthcare organizations gain better data insights to fight back against coronavirus.
• Caregility unveils mobile telehealth app, gives it away to fight pandemic
  • The clinical collaboration and communications technology company has debuted its Caregility iConsult Mobile application, and is giving it to clients free to help them combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Why Hoarding Of Hydroxychloroquine Needs To Stop
• Millions Of Older Americans Live In Counties With No ICU Beds As Pandemic Intensifies
• 7 Local Governments Order Labs to Report More Data From COVID-19 Tests
  • The Bay Area: All commercial and academic medical labs in this area have been ordered to begin expanding the kind of data they from tests involving the coronavirus. They were only previously required to report positive test results.
• Digital medical licenses could help doctors practice across state lines
• In a podcast interview with Dr. Deborah Birx, response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, she revealed that hospital systems, clinics, and other healthcare entities across the nation have engaged in panic-buying and stockpiling of medical supplies. The White House is currently attempting to locate where this has happened and disburse these supplies more equitably. Birx also recommends that young people with no underlying conditions who are experiencing coronavirus symptoms utilize telehealth services (or at least call their healthcare providers) to be diagnosed and treated, rather than be tested in person. This will ensure that tests are reserved for those who are more at risk.
• As COVID-19 cases threaten capacity, children's hospitals resist taking adults
  • Allocation of patients and overall people that seek hospital needs still in a frenzy as hospitals try to prioritize who they should be accepting for treatment and testing.
• States Request Health Insurance Changes For COVID-19
• Drive-thru coronavirus testing center up and running in Southeast Texas

Justice/Public Safety

• (NYC) NYPD Has Over 200 Coronavirus Cases, Thousands More Out Sick
  • NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea revealed Tuesday that 211 of those sickened are members of the force. Approximately 177 are uniformed officers and 34 are civilian members. Shea also said 2,774 are currently out sick, which accounts for 7.6% of the department’s uniformed workforce.
• Prisons And Jails Change Policies To Address Coronavirus Threat Behind Bars

Social Services 

• States spend big on remote-working tech, brace for unemployment

Transportation

• (Wyoming) Gov. Gordon Enacts Driver’s License, ID Grace Period In Response To COVID-19
  • Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has issued an executive order providing a grace period for expiring driver’s licenses or ID cards to limit face to face exposure
• BART [California] Ridership Down Nearly 90 Percent; New Service Hours To Take Effect
  • Ridership throughout the BART system was down between 87 percent and 89 percent from Tuesday to Sunday when compared to average ridership in February. BART officials estimate the ridership and fare revenue losses and reduced economic activity during the shelter-in-place order could cost the agency $57 million each month. BART officials continue to work with local, state and federal officials to secure funding support to shore up the agency’s revenue losses during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
• (Houston, Texas) Eyeing COVID fallout, Metro moves slowly on next round of Houston bus and rail projects
  • Houston area transit officials will delay the selection of architecture, engineering and design firms for high value bus and rail projects as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
• (Denver, Colorado) Denver RTD moves May service changes up to April as it deals with financial stress surrounding novel coronavirus pandemic
  • The Regional Transportation District has experienced a 70% decrease in ridership as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and will continue a limited service of their public transit system through September. The decrease in frequency and availability of public transportation is a continuing trend we are seeing with public transit agencies across the United States.
• (Ohio) COTA suspends all commuter rush-hour bus lines beginning Wednesday

Utilities

• (Los Angeles) Mayor Garcetti announces water and power will be shut off for nonessential L.A. businesses that don’t close
  • The mayor went on to announce the "business ambassadors program" — an effort to get nonessential businesses to close. He said the Department of Water and Power will shut off services for the businesses that don't comply with the "safer at home" ordinance. The mayor said L.A. is six to 12 days behind New York in being hit with a wave of positive cases.
• Utilities beginning to see the load impacts of COVID-19 as economic shutdown widens
  • Power facilities in the United States are beginning to see a decrease in energy demand as shelter in place orders are enacted, non-essential businesses are closed, schools are closed and events of all kinds are canceled or postponed. The decrease in energy usage will result in lost revenue for the power companies and they will look for ways to replace the lost revenue.
• America’s Electricity is Safe From the Coronavirus—for Now
  • The article touches on what power plants are doing to keep the lights on, the steps taken to keep a sanitized work environment, and what plans they have in place if the situation gets worse.