GovWin SLED Weekly Coronavirus Recon

General

• Nevada, Virginia See Unemployment Spikes
  • Nevada, Virginia and New Mexico are seeing the biggest jumps in new unemployment claims as a new wave of closings prompts more layoffs, according to figures released by the Department of Labor for the week ending July 25.
• (New Mexico) Governor extends public health rules through end of August
  • The governor extended the current occupancy limits on businesses and houses of worship and the state’s ban on indoor dining.
• COVID-19 claims youngest victim in North Dakota as state announces Bismarck area task force
  • Gov. Doug Burgum announced Tuesday the formation of a new task force that will aim to tackle a worsening coronavirus outbreak in the Bismarck metropolitan area. The Burleigh-Morton COVID-19 Task Force mirrors a group created nearly three months ago to tackle Fargo's outbreak and will include local health and political officials, business and health care leaders and representatives of state government, Burgum said.
• (Illinois) Pritzker warns of return to restrictions in counties with growing infections
  • Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday traveled to two of the four counties in Illinois that are now in danger of having to reimpose economic restrictions because of rising COVID-19 numbers, warning that bars, restaurants and other businesses could be forced to close again if people don’t follow public health guidelines.
• Governor Cuomo Announces 12 New York Companies to Start Producing COVID-19 Related Equipment and Supplies to Support In-State Needs
  • Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 12 New York companies have received support from the State to produce needed supplies to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic
  • $6.9 Million in Incentives Awarded to Manufacturers Across the State Will Provide State and Local Governments and In-State Entities Faster and More Secure Access to Life-Saving Medical Products

Funding & Economic Impact

• What's in the Senate's relief bill for state and local tech? Nothing, yet
  • More than two months after the House of Representative passed a $3 trillion pandemic rescue package that included nearly $1 trillion in aid to state and local governments, as well as funds for broadband expansion to support telemedicine, distance learning and election assistance grants, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell this week introduced his much slimmer counteroffer, prompting disappointment from state and local leaders desperate for help.
• Michigan Funding $8.5 Million In COVID-19 Safety Grants for Small Businesses
  • The State of Michigan is launching a COVID safety grant program for small businesses. About $8.5 million will be on offer in total.
• (Nevada) Gov. Sisolak demands flexible federal funding for states in COVID-19 relief plan
  • Following the Senate GOP's proposal for the next release of COVID-119 relief funds, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak released a statement regarding the proposal's lack of flexible funding for states and local governments.
  • In his statement, the governor reiterated his stance that Congress must make available flexible funds for states and municipalities in order for them to have a more effective and quicker recovery.
• Treasury report: Less than 25% of state and local emergency funds used as congressional debate heats up
  • US states and localities have used less than 25% of the funds allocated by Congress to address coronavirus relief efforts, according to a new report from the Treasury Department.
  • The report underscores an issue that bedeviled state and local officials in the wake of the passage of the $2.2 trillion emergency economic relief package -- that strict federal rules designed to ensure the funds are spent on Covid-related expenses has kept much of the money bottled up in local coffers, even as these places face huge budget shortfalls.
• Michigan Strategic Fund approves $41.9M for COVID-19 response fund
  • The Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) approved the second amendment of the 2019 Program Year Action Plan for $41.9 million to be incorporated in Community Development Block Grant’s (CDBG) Coronavirus Response funds.
• Florida sees $2 billion loss in 2020 budget due to coronavirus
  • Florida finished fiscal 2020 with a nearly $2 billion loss in the state's general revenue fund because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• New projections show Connecticut’s budget is weathering the coronavirus pandemic better than expected; tax receipts $200M higher
  • State government’s coffers have swelled by hundreds of millions of dollars since the coronavirus struck in mid-March, despite warnings of a nearly $1 billion deficit just three months ago.
• (Wisconsin) WEDC Sec. Hughes Outlines Impact Of COVID-19 On State's Economy, Complexity Of Recovery
  • Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes briefed lawmakers Thursday on the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Wisconsin's economy, saying the impact has been "as broad as possible." Hughes stressed to lawmakers that the best way to restart the economy is to control the virus. But she acknowledged that Wisconsin is far from that point, saying the state remains in the middle of its coronavirus outbreak.
• South Carolina’s budget was full of millions to help teachers, state prisons. Then COVID-19 hit.
  • Now state budget forecasters say most of the extra cash lawmakers had hoped to spend in the budget ending June 30, 2021, has been cut back dramatically — by an estimated $1.2 billion — leaving lawmakers with about $700 million to spend in the upcoming budget, based on current projections. And this fall the budget could hit another snag if the economy struggles more resulting in the downward revision of that $700 million projection.
• (Maine) State projects $523.9 million revenue loss due to COVID-19
  • The State’s updated revenue forecasting report that was announced by the Maine Revenue Forecasting Committee (RFC) Wednesday shows Maine’s revenue will decrease by $523.9 million in the current budget cycle, which ends in June 2021, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
• Connecticut’s coffers have swelled — not shrunk — during COVID
  • State government’s coffers have swelled by hundreds of millions of dollars since the coronavirus struck in mid-March, despite warnings of a nearly $1 billion deficit just three months ago.
  • Connecticut’s rainy day fund, which stood at $2.5 billion when the pandemic struck, now approaches $2.8 billion, according to an ongoing review of thousands of state tax returns filed after July 15.
• As Congress debates additional pandemic relief money, Minnesota debates how to spend the last of what it got in March
  • Since then, the state has allocated $2.74 billion of those funds, some of which has gone out in big chunks — $317 million to Hennepin and Ramsey counties; $841 million to other cities, counties and townships throughout the state — and small ones: the Office of Administrative Hearings got $6,391 to broadcast remote hearings and to buy masks and sanitizers for in-person ones.
• Vermont sees unexpected revenue boost after July tax filings
  • The state saw more revenue than expected after residents and businesses filed their 2019 tax returns this month, which will help the state as it weathers the economic strain and budget woes accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • As of July 28, the state had received $160 million in additional tax revenue in July. Some $51 million of that will be used to close out the fiscal year 2020 budget, which ended June 30.
• (Wisconsin) UW System, State Government Looking At Budget Cuts
  • Evers announced Wednesday he was calling for $250 million in new cuts from state agencies for this fiscal year, which began on July 1 and runs through June 30, 2021.
• (Hawaii) Gov. Ige holds back on CARES Act money spending
  • The governor has signed a bill to release hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding to fight COVID-19. The state legislature had proposed that the governor spend more of the CARES Act money. But the governor says he wants to first see what Congress does with the next round of federal aid.
• Details surrounding $644.6 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding for Virginia's local governments
  • Gov. Ralph Northam announced that the Commonwealth will distribute $644.6 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding to local governments in its second and final round of allocations.

Higher Education

• 'The virus beat us': Colleges are increasingly going online for fall 2020 semester as COVID-19 cases rise
  • Call it coronavirus déjà vu. After planning ways to reopen campuses this fall, colleges are increasingly changing their minds, dramatically increasing online offerings or canceling in-person classes outright. 
• (Ohio) Colleges Consider Layoffs as COVID-19 Wreaks Financial Havoc
  • The University of Akron board of trustees had voted to eliminate 178 positions, including 96 unionized faculty, in an effort to balance the budget. The cuts amounted to nearly 10% of the staff. The university was already facing a $65 million budget deficit for this fiscal year and the pandemic outbreak further upended its finances, says University of Akron President Gary L. Miller. Layoffs are an essential step in order to cut costs and remain sustainable.
  • Two hundred and twenty-four institutions have joined the ranks of the University of Akron by not renewing employment contracts or by announcing layoffs and furloughs, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education's layoffs tracker.
• (New York) COVID-19’s impact on higher education
  • As for the state travel advisory, students coming from a state on that list of quarantine states will be required to quarantine upon arrival for 14 days. All SUNY campuses will provide a place for those students to quarantine on campus.
  • SUNY says arrangements are made for each campus to issue a pro-rated refund or credit for fall 2020 and the student’s option for housing and dining fees.
• (New Jersey) Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to award more than $68 million in governor’s emergency education relief funds to NJ colleges and universities
  • Given the significant financial burdens that institutions of higher education are facing due to the unprecedented public health emergency, Governor Phil Murphy focused the state’s GEER funds on New Jersey postsecondary institutions.
  • Grants to institutions will be based on an OSHE-developed allocation rationale that incorporates priority populations from the New Jersey State Higher Education Plan.
• Alabama rolls out plan to test every college student for coronavirus
  • The state of Alabama released new details about its plan, called GuideSafe, to test more than 200,000 college students for COVID-19 before they return to campus

K-12 Education

• State won't collect, release data on coronavirus cases in Tennessee schools
  • A day after a top official in Gov. Bill Lee's administration said Tennessee plans to withhold the number of COVID-19 cases in schools from the public, a spokesperson said the information will not even be collected by the state. 
• Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act introduced
  • A $430 billion bill has been introduced to address the national child care and education crises and provide relief to students, families, schools, and educators across the country.
  • The bill will provide an investment to ensure that child care providers can remain open, and that K-12 schools and colleges can address a variety of issues including implementing public health measures, addressing learning loss among students, and providing emergency financial assistance to post-secondary students.
• Senate Leadership releases HEALS Act COVID-19 relief bill, includes support for education, child care
  • The proposal provides $105 billion to help get students back to school and provide for the continued learning of all students in elementary and secondary education and higher education.
  • To support afterschool programs, afterschool is an allowable use for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which is allotted to receive $70 billion. A new proposal of $6.2 billion to support 21st CCLC afterschool programs was also suggested.
  • Two-thirds of this funding would be available only to help schools with additional costs of reopening for in-person instruction.
• Secretary DeVos Awards More than $180 Million to States Rethinking K-12 Education to Better Meet Students’ Needs During Coronavirus Disruption
  • U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced more than $180 million in new grant funding will be awarded to 11 states rethinking education to better serve students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant will support states’ efforts to create new, innovative ways for students to continue learning in ways that meet their needs. Awardees include Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. The awards range from $6 million to $20 million.
• New York Schools Awarded Nearly $20 Million In Critical Federal Funding To Address Covid-19 Crisis
  • The Board of Regents and New York State Education Department (NYSED) announced that the United States Department of Education (USDE) awarded NYSED almost $20 million for the K-12 Rethink Grant. This will provide more than 190,000 teachers and educational leaders across this State with a combined 450,000 hours of professional support to implement effective practices in remote/hybrid teaching and learning which, in turn, will reach an estimated two million students.
• (Nevada) Gov. Sisolak issues stricter mask requirements for K-12 students
  • Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has issued an emergency directive requiring all K-12 students to wear cloth face coverings at school.
  • The new mandate was disclosed in a press release from the Nevada Department of Education, which went over additional guidelines in Emergency Directive 028, including reducing social distance requirements for pre-school, elementary and middle school students from 6 feet to 3 feet.
• South Carolina receives $15M Rethink K-12 Education grant
  • South Carolina's application, once carried out, will: increase availability of remote learning resources to students and teachers in areas of S.C. that lack broadband access; improve education resources for specific, identified gaps by developing and curating engaging, high-quality content; increase teacher experience, confidence, and proficiency with remote learning technology and resources; improve communication between families, teachers, and schools to support remote learning.
• Delaware officials eye mix of remote, in-person classes
  • Public schools in Delaware will likely reopen with a mix of remote and in-person classes, although each school district will make its own decision on how to begin the academic year, Gov. John Carney said.
• Utah legislature to hold hearings on school re-opening plans
  • Following a call by the state's largest teacher's union to delay the start of in-person classroom learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Utah State Legislature plans to hold hearings on classroom safety.
• COVID-19 Puts New York State Education Budget Increase in Peril
  • Despite the New York state legislature approving the 2020-2021 budget in April with a slight increase in education funding, upwards of 20 percent could still be cut in the fall as the economy continues to suffer.
• Rural Georgia's Back-To-School Blues: COVID-19 Spreads Fast, Internet's Slow
  • For some rural Georgia students, a heightened spread of COVID-19 combined with low internet availability could create disconnects that prevent them from doing online schoolwork.
  • The federal CARES Act sent $13.5 billion into the country’s  K-12 schools, including $411 million to help mitigate the harm of the pandemic in Georgia classrooms. More federal money could be on the way as Congress considers a $1 trillion COVID-19 relief package that includes $70 billion for schools, though a requirement for schools to reopen for face-to-face instruction to receive full funding could complicate the bill’s passage. 

Health Care

• (California) Gov. Newsom Increases COVID-19 Spending In Hard-Hit Central Valley Counties
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a $52 million investment in eight Central Valley counties hard-hit by the coronavirus. The money is intended to help the counties with isolation, quarantine, and testing protocols, as well as provide more support for health workers and hire more workers. The money comes from a $499 million grant from the CDC.
• (Texas) Dallas County Says ‘Glitch’ Attributed to Recent Report of Coronavirus Numbers
  • On Monday, July 27, the County reported 426 new coronavirus cases, compared to the 1,267 cases reported on Saturday, July 25. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said he believes the disparities are due to an issue with the state's reporting system.
• Utah ready to spend millions to keep COVID-19 public health campaign going
  • Utah has put out a call to marketing and communications firms to bid on a contract to keep messaging ads running on billboards, online, TV and the radio. The request for bids says the annual budget for the winning firm will be between zero and $5 million annually.
• (Kansas) Kan. officials endorse expenditure of $254M in federal COVID-19 aid
  • $100 million will be devoted to public health priorities, $38 million for nursing homes, $20 million for state laboratory and contact tracing work, $12.5 million for community health facilities and another $12.5 million for mental health grants.
• (Wisconsin) COVID-19 testing at Alliant Energy Center could wind down in August without more federal support
  • Testing for COVID-19 at the Alliant Energy Center may soon end without renewed funding from the federal government or state. Without renewed funding, the testing center may need to shut down at a time the county and state are continuing to address the spread of the virus.

Social Services 

• California Gov. Newsom unveils unemployment-tech 'strike team'
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the launch of a “strike team” of technologists, including Code for America and U.S. Digital Response founder Jennifer Pahlka, to modernize the state’s backlogged unemployment systems.
• Missouri gets approval to maximize August Food Stamp benefits
  • Missouri SNAP households will automatically get the maximum SNAP benefit amount for their household size loaded onto their EBT card.
• Nevada to launch grocery delivery service for WIC recipients
  • The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services plans to launch a grocery delivery service for all participants of WIC.
• (Texas) Gov. Abbott extends emergency SNAP food benefits for month of August
  • The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will provide approximately $185 million in emergency SNAP food benefits.
• (Louisiana) Additional supplements approved for SNAP recipients for August
  • Recipients of SNAP benefits who are not already receiving the maximum amount for their household size will receive supplements in August to bring them up to the max.
• Kentucky unemployment system breached again as Beshear administration faces backlash
  • Kentucky's unemployment system has suffered another security breach, though state officials say it does not appear to have put Kentuckians' sensitive information at risk.
• States Using Federal Covid Relief to Fund Unemployment Insurance
  • Governors and lawmakers in at least eight states have used millions of federal coronavirus relief dollars to protect businesses from tax increases as unemployment skyrockets.

Justice/Public Safety

• US sheriffs rebel against state mask orders even as Covid-19 spreads
  • Sheriffs around the country are refusing to enforce or are even actively resisting Covid-19 mask laws and lockdowns, while others have permitted or encouraged armed vigilantism in response to Black Lives Matter anti-racism protests.

Transportation

• New Airport Technologies Aim to Combat Spread of COVID-19
  • A new technology that was recently implemented at Pittsburgh International Airport can help fight the possible spread of COVID-19; and it can also make sure you’re not flying with a fake ID.
• AECOM launches new technology platform TRIPS to support transit agencies’ safe return to service
  • AECOM has launched Transportation Resilient Integrated Passenger Solution (TRIPS), its newest integrated technology solution to support the safe return to service for the entire passenger journey and employee experience for transit agencies.
•  (Florida) In $6.7 billion budget, Hillsborough commission adds $135,000
  • The commission met Thursday morning in a budget workshop, but unlike recent years, the process of board members flagging items to add to the proposed budget was diminished by limited dollars.
• (Massachusetts) MBTA ahead of schedule, spending amid coronavirus shutdowns, GM says
  • The MBTA has used the coronavirus shutdowns to end up ahead of schedule and spending expectations for its infrastructure projects.
• Transit agency leaders, APTA press urgent need for additional Congressional funding
  • The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), along with 10 transit agencies, held a virtual press conference to reiterate the transit industry’s need for an additional $32 billion in federal funding. Transit was not included in the proposed stimulus package released by Senate Republicans and the $15.75 billion included in a House-passed proposal is short of what the industry needs. 
• New York MTA installs mask dispensers inside buses for customers to access while boarding
  • The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has started a pilot program to install free surgical mask dispensers inside buses to help protect customers while on board.
• (California) San Francisco passes sales tax measure to save Caltrain. San Mateo says it's dead on arrival
  • On Tuesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved putting a 1/8 -cent sales tax measure on the November ballot, with controversial conditions that would tie up most of the money until the counties resolve a conflict about governance.

Public Utilities

• Taking Charge: How California's first CCA confronts wildfire risk and energy equity amid COVID-19
  • Over the last 10 years, community choice aggregators (CCAs) have become a significant presence in California's energy landscape. Now, these local entities are also confronting the state's broader challenges with catastrophic wildfires and prolonged power shut-offs.
• NYPA, Siemens partner on new cybersecurity center as COVID-19-driven changes increase threats
  • The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and Siemens Energy on Wednesday announced plans for an industrial cybersecurity "Center of Excellence" that will initially defend the public utility's operational technology (OT) assets and could ultimately assist other power providers in securing the grid.

Community Development/Housing

• (Indiana) Holcomb says he’s willing to add more funding to COVID-19 rental assistance program
  • Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb says he’s willing to add more funding to the state’s $25 million rental assistance program if needed.
• (Texas) City of San Antonio’s COVID-19 housing assistance fund expected to run out in September
  • A city program meant to help struggling families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic pay their bills has paid out more than half of the money available, and city staff expect it to run out of funds sometime in September.

Natural Resources/Environment            

• California’s clean-air programs take a hit in new funding squeeze
  • Some of California’s key environmental programs for battling smog and climate change have lost nearly $105 million as the state grapples with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.