GovWin SLED Coronavirus Recon

General

• 'Biggest threat to election security is the coronavirus,' security expert warns
  • Although the rate of new infections appears to have slowed down in recent weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic remains the greatest challenge to ensuring that the 2020 presidential election runs accurately and securely, election security experts warned.
• Kansas lawmakers, governor working on new COVID-19 measure
  • Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature worked Wednesday on a compromise to give lawmakers oversight of the state’s coronavirus response, while Democrats sought protections for workers infected on the job.
• A coronavirus shift to online shopping has helped save some retail sales — and tax revenue — in Colorado
  • The state is taking in more sales tax than ever before now that online sellers, such as Amazon, charge Colorado customers at purchase. Last year, Colorado collected nearly a half-billion dollars more in annual sales taxes than in 2016, when Amazon began the practice. With more brick-and-mortar stores also going online and ecommerce seeing an overall increase, the pandemic impact on the state sales taxes wasn’t as bad as you might have expected.
• Utah Commission Votes To Recommend That Most Of State Moves To New ‘Smart Green’ Risk Phase
  • Utah’s Public Health and Economic Emergency Commission voted unanimously to recommend that most of Utah moves into a “smart green” phase adopting a modified yellow phase. This will allow nearly all businesses in Utah to activate a plan to open safely. The commission recognizes the phase is not a return to normal but that it is a lighter risk level in moving forward to reopening the state’s economy.

Funding & Economic Impact

• States enter hurricane season with pandemic-strained budgets
  • Atlantic hurricane season has begun, and forecasters are predicting an active year for what can be deadly — and expensive — storms. FEMA often steps in with support, but much of the cost of dealing with natural disasters ends up falling to the states, many of which have budgets already strained by their COVID-19 response.
• (Texas) State of the City: Priorities shift as San Antonio fights off coronavirus-related economic losses
  • While San Antonio has managed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the mayor said the pandemic has taken a toll on the city’s economy and budget. Mayor Ron Nirenberg has advocated for fixing the city’s various inequities as it recovers from the pandemic.
• Tribal Governments Advocate for Cybersecurity Funding in Next COVID-19 Package
  • As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced tribal governments to move their governmental services online, many have advocated for funding for cybersecurity in the next relief package.
• Tennessee governor announces $200M in relief funds for small businesses affected by COVID
  • The state of Tennessee is setting aside $200 million for small business that were affected by closures and losses related to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Virginia awarded $23.87B in federal COVID relief
  • Virginia has received $23.87 billion in federal coronavirus relief aid, the 31st-highest amount among all 50 states relative to the number of its COVID-19 cases and resulting economic disruption.
• (Virginia) County offers $5 million in grants to small businesses
  • Chesterfield County is using part of its federal CARES Act allocation to provide financial assistance for local small businesses that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The Board of Supervisors has approved the expenditure of $5 million to create the “Back in Business” program, which will provide $10,000 grants to for-profit businesses that meet the county’s eligibility requirements.
• (Pennsylvania) Cambria set to receive nearly $12 million in COVID-19 relief
  • More than $18 million in federal funding has been earmarked for the region to provide wide-ranging COVID-19 relief, elected officials said this week.
  • Cambria County is set to receive nearly $12 million in federal funding, said state Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor.
  • Somerset County will receive $6.5 million, Somerset’s county commissioners confirmed
• Oklahoma Cities, counties to apply for funding to reimburse COVID-19 expenses and the deadline is soon
  • Officials announced that communities have from June 1 through June 10 to submit applications to the state’s CARES FORWARD team to receive reimbursement funding for local government expenses incurred due to the presence of COVID-19.
• (Kansas) Area cities, counties among coronavirus response block grant recipients
  • Governor Laura Kelly announced the awarding of nearly $9 million in Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response Supplement (CDBG-CV) funds to 66 Kansas communities.
• (North Carolina) Bill earmarks $300M more COVID-19 funds for N.C. government
  • The additional funds going into the budget could be used in part to pay overtime at state institutions and purchase PPE and COVID-19 testing at state prisons
• (Kansas) Taskforce approves $400M to local governments for COVID-19 expenses
  • Governor Kelly’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce Executive Committee reviewed and approved a proposal to distribute $400 million to local governments to help address the health and economic challenges inflicted by COVID-19
• (Minnesota) Local lawmakers deliberate over $2.2 billion COVID-19 funding
  • One key issue of contention? Who will decide how the state allocates its slice of the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund, and how that money should be distributed.
  • According to the Governor’s Office, Minnesota will receive $2.187 billion as its share of a $150 billion fund. Of that total, $1.2 billion goes directly to the state and $984 million will be distributed to local governments.
• (Delaware) Joint Finance Committee begins tackling COVID-19 budget shortfall
  • The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee met Tuesday for the first time since the Delaware General Assembly resumed work last week  largely online. The goal is to close a $455 million shortfall for the state’s FY 2021 budget as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Higher Education

• Looking toward fall, Connecticut colleges seek shield from COVID-19 lawsuits
  • Connecticut’s public and private universities are lobbying both Congress and the Lamont administration for a shield from lawsuits from students, visitors, faculty and other staff who may contract the virus on campus. They are also concerned about class action suits over payment of tuition for classes that have been canceled or moved online.
• (Idaho) State Board of Ed wants extra COVID relief dollars to go toward remote learning
  • Idaho has almost $16 million to spend on K-12 and higher education as part of Governor Brad Little’s emergency education relief fund.
  • The plans for the $16 million in funding is to support the partnership between Idaho Public Television and Idaho Digital Learning Academy; and the money would also help expand the K-6th grade curriculum. And finally, to improve and update Idaho’s public colleges and universities' technology infrastructure.
• University of Illinois System News: Financial Update
  • To manage the financial impact of coronavirus the University of Illinois System is only hiring for vacant positions considered critical, reducing travel and related expenses, reducing non-personnel expenses such as supplies and purchased services, and slowing down or postponing capital projects, except ones strategically vital or already in progress.

K-12 Education

• How Districts, States Can Survive the COVID-19 Recession
  • This article offers insights into actions school districts can take to mitigate losses from COVID-19 pandemic.
• Hayes Joins 100-Plus Members Of Congress In Historic $305 Billion Funding Push For K-12 Schools
  • Congresswomen Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), have led 111 colleagues in sending a letter to Congressional leadership strongly urging the inclusion of $305 billion in K-12 education stabilization funding as part of upcoming coronavirus response legislation.
• Kansas School Funding Looks Good On Paper, But Deep Cuts Are Expected Due To The Pandemic
  • Based on project deficits throughout the state including with K-12 public schools they are very likely to see budget cuts of up to 8% and Kansas historically has spent more than half its revenue on education. To put that percentage in perspective, in a big district like Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, an 8% cut would be the difference between ending the school year with a $7 million surplus and a $13 million deficit.
• Most California districts would get more in federal aid than they’d lose in budget cuts
  • From the CARES Act California’s K-12 schools would receive enough to cover more than 90% of the $6.4 billion that Newsom is proposing to cut from school districts’ and charter schools’ funding in the next state budget to make up for a massive projected decline in tax revenue.
  • Newsom is proposing a cut of approximately 8% of districts’ general fund, known as the Local Control Funding Formula. It provides a base amount and additional funding for “high-needs” students: English learners, and low-income, homeless and foster students in every district.
  • An EdSource analysis projects that 60.4% of school districts that receive their funding through the funding formula would get more CARES Act funding than they’d lose in cuts to the funding formula.
• (Ohio) Coronavirus: DeWine says he wants K-12 schools open in the fall
  • Gov. Mike DeWine said he fully intends to have Ohio’s K-12 schools reopen in the fall and stressed it will be up to local school districts to determine start dates.
  • The Ohio Department of Health is currently working on guidelines for districts to allow students to return to school.

Health Care

• COVID-19 Healthcare Spending Hinges On Hospitalization Rates
  • While mortality has virtually no impact on COVID-19 healthcare spending, halving hospitalizations could nearly halve the overall healthcare cost of the pandemic.
• Price Changes in Medicine and Healthcare During COVID-19
  • The healthcare and medical industry has seen that a large percentage of sellers have stopped lowering their prices while an equally large percentage of sellers have raised prices from previous months.
• Which Healthcare Markets Are Most Likely to be Disrupted by COVID-19?
  • Some of the markets most likely to be disrupted include the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metropolitan area, Colorado Springs, Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area, and Boise City.
• New bill would mandate research on telehealth regs after coronavirus
  • Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Illinois, introduced a bill that would mandate a study on the effects of telehealth changes on Medicare and Medicaid during the COVID-19 crisis.
• COVID-19 intensifies need for mental health care services
  • One of the more effective solutions to increasing access to treatment for many mental health conditions has been the integration of behavioral and physical health care.
• Southern States Spending Millions on Coronavirus Medical Equipment
  • Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama governments have collectively committed nearly a quarter billion dollars to medical equipment and supplies
• First Large Texas County Transfers Coronavirus Contact Tracing to State
  • Citing the needless cost of maintaining a duplicate system, Collin County Commissioners Court decided Friday to transfer all local coronavirus contact tracing to the state, becoming the first large county in Texas to relinquish the public health function.

Social Services 

• (Tennessee) Tennessee expanding programs, $700 million for pregnant women and families in need
  • The Tennessee Department of Health announced expanding its program that offers assistance to pregnant women, families in need, and free childcare to essential workers during the pandemic
  • The program has been extended until June 30, 2020

Transportation

• East Texas transportation agencies to receive millions in federal funding
  • The Texas Transportation Commissioners approved federal funding for the Angelina County Airport and the Brazos Transit District through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
• No letup in volatility for air cargo market
  • Trailing data released Tuesday by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed total air cargo volume in April plunged 27.7%, year-over year because of the global recession caused by the coronavirus crisis.
• (California) BART expanding Clipper-only sales at stations systemwide through 2020
  • Accelerating this effort will help to create a more contactless and sanitary system in the era of COVID-19.
• Wabtec launches BlueFilter to provide clean air for transit rail passengers
  • The company says the air filtration product eliminates more than 90 percent of contaminants per air cycle in railcars.

Public Utilities

• (North Carolina) Duke Energy Prepares for Hurricane Season Amid COVID-19
  • As the June 1 start of hurricane season arrives, Duke Energy is preparing to respond to power outages as quickly as possible – while also adapting to the extra challenges of protecting the health and well-being of the company's employees, customers, and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community Development/Housing

• Washington Eviction Moratorium Extended To August 1 Amid Coronavirus Crisis
  • Governor Inslee has extended Washington state’s eviction moratorium through August 1 with the intent of this order to prevent an increase in homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic.