GovWin SLED Coronavirus Recon

General

• Some states, like Utah and Oregon hit pause, others press on amid spike in COVID-19
  • Utah and Oregon put any further reopening of their economies on hold amid a spike in coronavirus cases, but there was no turning back Friday in such states as Texas, Arkansas and Arizona despite flashing warning signs there, too.
• Missing data veils coronavirus damage to minority communities
  • The coronavirus’ brutal impact on African Americans and other minorities may never be fully known because of consistent gaps in gathering data on race and ethnicity that persist more than four months into the pandemic.
• (Alaska) With Elections Looming, Alaska Faces A Shortage Of Poll Workers Because Of COVID-19 Concerns
  • A pandemic-caused shortage of election workers has state and local officials searching for solutions and warning that they could close some polling site if the situation doesn’t improve.

Funding & Economic Impact

• (Massachusetts) Coronavirus takes $65M bite out of Boston revenues
  • Coronavirus is taking a $65 million bite out of Boston’s revenue — more than double initial projections — prompting cost-cutting and hiring freezes across nearly every city department.
• Texas state senator says Congress’ coronavirus funds ‘a mess’ and distribution rules often change
  • Texas State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, a Democrat who is vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, called the process laid out by the federal government complicated and messy, adding that the rules change often.
• (North Carolina) Cleveland County gets federal funding for COVID relief
  • House Bill 1043 would appropriate $150 million to North Carolina with Cleveland County receiving $1.8 million.
• (Alaska) A critical error is starving Alaska businesses of needed COVID-19 relief funds
  • Gov. Dunleavy’s original plan to give much-needed grants to Alaska businesses cut out any business that got help directly from the federal government. Payroll Protection Program aid to keep employees working or an Economic Injury Disaster Loan to keep the lease paid meant no shot at $290 million in grants administered through the state.
• (Pennsylvania) State announces grant funds for eligible counties
  • Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin announced that new funding is available to 60 Pennsylvania counties under the COVID-19 County Relief Block Grant.
• COVID-19 exposes inadequate funding levels at Indian Health Service
  • With coronavirus cases continuing to rise at disproportionate rates in Indian Country, advocates are calling on Congress to live up to its trust and treaty obligations by providing adequate funding for health care in tribal and urban communities.
• (Vermont) Lawmakers urged to release COVID funds
  • Governor Phil Scott has expressed his displeasure with the Legislature in taking as long as it has in addressing the first round of funding. The governor said his administration worked for weeks on the proposal and included legislators in the process in the hope it would be approved quickly and largely intact.
• (Colorado) 2020 State Legislative Session Ends With Sweeping Changes
  • Colorado lawmakers wound down a shortened 2020 session having drastically cut education funding because of the coronavirus pandemic’s revenue impact, allocating $70 million in federal aid to struggling business and residents, and passing a sweeping police transparency bill.
• (Nebraska) Gov. Ricketts announces plan for first spending of CARES Act funds
  • In a news conference, Gov. Pete Ricketts laid out his plans on how to spend the first $387 million given to the state under the CARES Act. Money will be split up between four areas:
    • Financial assistance to small businesses and livestock producers
    • Creating additional training programs for unemployed or underemployed Nebraskans
    • Expanding rural broadband
    • Partnering with Gallup to train small business owners
• (Nevada) State Plugs Budget Hole While Officials Mark Virus Uptick
  • State lawmakers have approved Governor Sisolak’s plan to plug an $812 million budget deficit blamed on the pandemic
  • The Governor has also imposed 4% across-the-board cuts, state employee furloughs and salary freezes
• (Massachusetts) Revised Boston city budget accounts for $65M lost revenue from COVID-19 pandemic, cuts to police overtime
  • The budget now includes plans to cut the Boston police department’s overtime budget by 20%, reallocating the money to other programs including the Boston Public Health Commission, organizations that support minority and women-owned businesses, and programs that work to end youth homelessness
• Michigan Has $2.8B Left In Federal COVID-19 Relief, Some Lawmakers Want Flexibility To Spend It
  • Michigan has yet to spend $2.8 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds, and some legislators are hoping that Congress will allow that money to fill substantial budget holes.
• Louisiana legislators approve construction budget, advance college fee autonomy
  • The Louisiana House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously approved a multiyear state construction budget.
  • In other legislative action Thursday, the House Education Committee advanced House Bill 26, which extends for one year the right of colleges and universities to set, and potentially increase, the fees they charge to students without legislative approval
• (Ilinois)  $275M In Emergency Relief For Households Impacted By COVID-19
  • Funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Community Services Block Grant programs will receive $275 million in emergency relief, according to an announcement on Monday afternoon.
  • This funding includes an additional $90 million allocated via the CARES Act, allowing the state to increase eligibility for these programs to one million income-qualified Illinoisans.
• North Dakota Commission To Vote On Distribution Of $400 Million For COVID-19 Response
  • The North Dakota Emergency Commission will vote on Tuesday, June 18, whether to distribute more than $400 million in federal funds to state agencies responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission will evaluate the requests of 40 different agencies and institutions of higher education that are looking for a piece of the state’s CARES Act funding

Higher Education

• Indiana public universities face $103M funding cut
  • Indiana’s public universities would see a $103 million cut in state funding under a plan from Gov. Eric Holcomb’s administration reacting to significant drops in tax collections during the coronavirus outbreak.
• What’s the plan for this fall? Texas colleges are still working out the logistics.
  • Campuses are planning around the coronavirus pandemic, with contingency plans in place in case of another breakout. And platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams will prevail as teaching platforms
• (Oregon) COVID-19 rules set for higher education
  • A plan is now in place to bring students back to Oregon’s campuses this fall. The Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission has issued a list of requirements in the new guidelines. The guidelines include limits on dorm room occupants, class size limits, masks will be required for students and faculty, classrooms and labs will require sanitization, and colleges must have vacant rooms available to isolate students who contract COVID-19.
• COVID Could Worsen Summer Melt: How Some Colleges Are Responding
  • According to the federal Education Department, “summer melt” is the phenomenon for how as many as a third of high school graduates who plan to attend college don’t arrive on campus that fall. Some campuses are engaging with enrolled student through apps while others are holding online orientations.

K-12 Education

• (New Jersey) Bergen schools forced to cut hiring, tap reserve funds after NJ slashes $336M in aid
  • Facing a one-two punch of the coronavirus crisis and new state funding cuts, some of Bergen County's biggest school districts may lay off workers, limit hiring and tap reserve funds to bridge the gap.
• (Michigan) Schools eyeing big cuts amid funding crash
  • School budget makers across Michigan are eyeing cuts to employees, salaries and transportation among other things, as they work through the revenue crash caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• (Oklahoma) $16M offered in school grants for COVID-19 relief
  • Gov. Kevin Stitt and state schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister announced on Friday school districts can apply for up to $500,000 in incentive grants, depending on student enrollment.
• Uncertainty surrounds nearly everything about Colorado schools’ plans to reopen classrooms this fall
  • In an effort to continue slowing the spread of COVID-19, some of Colorado’s largest school districts are considering hybridized learning approaches, with a mix of in-person and virtual classes, that will not only reduce the number of students in each classroom but the number of days they’re able to be in their physical school buildings.
• Coronavirus: Indiana Expands Testing, Prepares To Discuss K-12 Education Cuts This Week
  • The Indiana State Department of Health is making it easier for Hoosiers to get tested for COVID-19 and assess their risk with a map of positive cases by zip code.
  • As the state confronts budget shortfalls, higher education institutions have been asked to take a 7 percent cut in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Gov. Eric Holcomb says other state agencies were asked to make cuts before K-12 and higher education.
• Here’s what Arizona teachers think about going back to school
  • According to a survey, 79 percent plan to return to the classroom with 18 percent still undecided. Only one quarter of respondents indicated that the pandemic influenced their decision. Teachers’ biggest concerns about returning to school are the health and safety of staff (67%) and students (62%). Other key areas of concern include student mental health (37%) and helping students catch up (35%).
• Florida to use $475M in CARES Act funding for Pre-K-12 schools and up
  • Approximately $475 million in funding will be used to close the "achievement gap" for some students caused by Covid-19 and help with the transition back into the classroom.
  • Here's a breakdown of some of the plans: $64 million to provide summer programs for students in K-5, with a focus on improving reading proficiency; $55 million for childcare providers that opened to provide a safe environment; $44 million to help first responders and health care workers with childcare; $35 million to provide increased capacity for state and technical colleges for in-demand fields

Health Care

• (North Carolina) In rural areas, nurse shortage hinders fight against COVID-19
  • For rural communities, which struggled to provide adequate health care access and services even before the pandemic, COVID-19 is straining resources that were already in short supply.
• Industry Voices—How COVID-19 has exposed the depth of our data-sharing deficiencies
  • Healthcare has struggled with interoperability issues for years, but the current battle with the novel coronavirus has exposed the depth of data-sharing deficiencies.
• Public health funds are needed more than ever but lack ‘lobbying muscle’ in California
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature are expected to reject a plea from local public health officials for an additional $150 million a year to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and protect against future threats.
• CMS issues flexibility on medical loss ratio deadline and rebates due to COVID-19
  • The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is relaxing enforcement of the Medical Loss Ratio report due to COVID-19
  • The flexibility to prepay enrollees will support continuity coverage for enrollees who may be struggling to pay premiums because of illness or loss of income resulting for the COVID-19 public health emergency
• Fast-Growing Health Care Service to Provide At-Home COVID-19 Testing and Medical Care for D.C. Residents
  • On-demand health care service “Ready” is bringing testing, symptom monitoring and non-emergent medical care directly to residents of Washington D.C.
• Texas Calls In A Strike Force To Try To Slow Coronavirus Spread In Nursing Homes
  • Some of the worst coronavirus outbreaks have occurred at long-term care facilities that now account for more than one-third of all COVID-19 deaths in America. Some states have taken aggressive actions to slow the spread of the virus among residents and workers in nursing homes. Texas formed a strike force to assess problems at its 1,222 nursing homes.
• American Indian tribes thwarted in efforts to get coronavirus data
  • Federal and state health agencies are refusing to give Native American tribes and organizations representing them access to data showing how the coronavirus is spreading around their lands, potentially widening health disparities and frustrating tribal leaders already ill-equipped to contain the pandemic.

Social Services 

• (Pennsylvania) Human Services Extends Emergency Assistance Program
  • Funds remain available and the application deadline has been extended through July 12
• Idaho Unemployment Call Center Expanding To 100 Staffers
  • The call center that’s helping Idaho’s Department of Labor cope with a huge backlog of unemployment claims would see its staffing double from 50 to 100 under an additional $3 million in funding.