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Welcome to FOCUS' COVID-19 Briefing. Visit our website housing these resources at: https://www.leoninepublicaffairs.com/covid-19-briefing/. This site is accessible to the public via that link and also accessible to clients within their FOCUS databases via the "Coronavirus Updates" menu on the left.
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NEW: FOCUS' 50-State Budget Overview tracks states that have announced budget freezes as part of their response to the coronavirus.
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FOCUS' Shelter in Place Orders & Essential Business
Designations Chart details which states have issued orders to close
“nonessential” businesses, and those that have issued official Shelter in Place
Orders that prohibit residents from leaving their home.
Stay-at-Home Orders & Business Reopening Headlines
As of the morning of May 5, 32 states and the District of Columbia have active shelter in place orders and Puerto Rico is currently under curfew. States without orders or expired orders include: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
States with orders expiring soon include North Carolina, several counties in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island on May 8. Mississippi’s order will expire on May 11. South Carolina’s order became voluntary on May 4 and will expire on May 12.
Colorado: Colorado Public Radio: Colorado COVID-19 Progress Update As Stay-Home, Safer At Home Orders Change Rules For Residents Often: Keep It Up, Polis Says
Montana: Press Herald: Deferring to state rules, Portland councilors repeal city’s stay-at-home order
Pennsylvania: Penn Live: Gov. Tom Wolf talks about coronavirus and reopening more of Pennsylvania
Rhode Island: WPRI: Here’s how Raimondo’s plan to gradually reopen RI’s economy works
South Carolina: The Post and Courier: SC to stop enforcing stay-at-home order, allow outdoor dining as coronavirus limits ease
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Stay-at-Home Order Status as of 5/5/2020
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Upcoming Stay-at-Home Order Expirations
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Expiration of Shelter in
Place Orders
The date listed is the date the order
expires, which is not necessarily the date on which the state/businesses will
reopen. (last updated 4/29 at 4:55pm EST)
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May 8 | North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island | May 11 | Mississippi | May 12 | South Carolina | May 15 | Arizona, Delaware, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, New York and Vermont | May 18 | Massachusetts and Minnesota | May 20 | Connecticut | May 23 | Indiana | May 25 | Puerto Rico (curfew) | May 26 | Wisconsin | May 30 | Illinois | May 29 | Ohio | May 31 | Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and Washington | June 10 | Virginia | Indefinite | Alaska, California, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon and West Virginia | No order/ Order expired | Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming |
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FOCUS' COVID-19 State Session Updates Chart lists which states are in session or have suspended operations, and whether hearings, crossover deadlines and other key processes are impacted.
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Session Info
Alabama, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio House, Pennsylvania and Vermont are in regular session. The District of Columbia Council, the Puerto Rico House and the U.S. Congress are also in regular session.
The
following legislatures are postponing their 2020 legislative sessions due to
COVID-19 until the dates provided: Ohio Senate (May 6), Puerto Rico Senate
(May 11), Illinois Senate, Rhode Island and South Carolina (May
12), Delaware and Iowa (May 15), Colorado, Mississippi
and North Carolina (May 18), Tennessee (June 1) and Alaska,
Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois House, Kansas,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York and Wisconsin (TBD).
Oklahoma
is meeting in a
special session beginning May 5 under the direction of Republican
Gov. Kevin Stitt’s executive order issued on May 1. Lawmakers have
stated that they will be addressing policy bills after first considering the
budget for the upcoming fiscal year, reports NonDoc.
Iowa’s Administrative Rules Committee is scheduled to
meet on May 8 via video conference call. Virginia’s General Assembly
Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet on May 18.
Tennessee was scheduled to adjourn on April 30 but
will now adjourn on a date to be decided. Mississippi was scheduled to
adjourn on May 3 but will now adjourn on a date to be decided.
The following states have upcoming adjournments scheduled
but are likely to postpone in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Colorado
(May 6), Hawaii (May 7) and South Carolina (May 14).
Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has until May 7 to act on
legislation or it becomes law without signature. Arkansas Republican
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has 20 days from presentment to act on legislation or it
becomes law without signature. Connecticut Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont
must act on legislation within 15 days of presentment or it becomes law without
signature. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has 15 days from
presentment to act on legislation or it becomes law without signature. Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy
Beshear has 10 days from presentment, Sundays excepted, to act or legislation becomes
law without signature. Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills must act on
legislation presented within 10 days of adjournment or it becomes law unless
returned within three days after the next meeting of the same legislature.
The following states are currently holding 2020 interim
committee hearings: Arkansas,
Colorado, Maryland, Montana, Nevada,
North Dakota, Oregon,
South
Dakota, Washington
and Wyoming.
Special Elections
The following seats will be filled by special elections on
the dates provided: Massachusetts Second Hampden and Hampshire and
Plymouth and Barnstable Senate districts and Thirty-seventh Middlesex and Third
Bristol House districts (June 2), Georgia Senate District 4 and New
Jersey House and Senate District 25 (June 9) and Mississippi’s House
District 88 (June 23).
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Business Impact Headlines
California: Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus led to furloughs of crucial business departments
Massachusetts: Boston Globe: Massachusetts lawmakers will debate bill to provide marijuana businesses with coronavirus relief funds
Michigan: Click on Detroit: GM, Ford, FCA discuss tentative date to reopen Michigan auto plants
New York: WIVB: Buffalo Niagara Partnership releases results of COVID-19 Business Impact Survey
Texas: San Antonio Express News: Despite reopening, coronavirus inhibits business
Utah: Salt Lake Tribune: Utah governor signs bill shielding businesses, property owners from coronavirus-related suits
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FOCUS' Utility Disconnect Executive Orders page lists states that have executive orders that restrict or prohibit utilities – such as voice service, cable television, broadband service or other telecommunication service providers – from disconnecting clients for non-payment during the pandemic.
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FOCUS' Relaxed Alcohol Laws table details which states have listed alcohol-related businesses as essential/non-essential, alcohol-specific orders, laws and related changes and other COVID-19-related policy information impacting the beer, wine and alcohol industry.
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FOCUS is tracking information on recently-announced extensions to state and local tax filing deadlines. Please contact anastasia@leoninefocus.com to be added to the distribution list for this daily email, which includes brief summaries.
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Tax Deadline Headlines
Alabama: Alabama News: Alabama Department of Revenue Extends Time for Car Registrations and Car Tax Payments
Colorado: Executive Order D 2020-055: Extending Executive Order D 2020 022 Ordering the Temporary Suspension of Certain Statutes Concerning Taxpayer Filing Requirements for Certain Taxable Property due to the Presence of COVID-19 in the State of Colorado; Executive Order D 2020-057: Extending Executive Order D 2020 023 Ordering a One-Month Extension for Filing and Remitting State and State-Administered Local Sales Tax Due to the Presence of COVID-19 in Colorado.
Illinois: Department of Revenue: Additional Relief for Renewals of Illinois Sales Tax Exemption (“E”) Numbers During the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak
New Jersey: The Bernardsville News: Bernardsville extends tax payment grace period to June 1
Ohio: The Columbus Dispatch: Coronavirus in Ohio: Franklin County extending property tax deadline to Aug. 5
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FOCUS’ COVID-19 Remote Notarization Orders highlights Executive Orders and other actions loosening restrictions on remote and electronic notarial actions, removing requirements that notarizations be in-person and other actions impacting notaries public.
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Educational Response Headlines
Connecticut: Hartford Courant: Gov. Ned Lamont closes Connecticut schools for rest of academic year due to coronavirus pandemic
Idaho: KHQ: Idaho Board of Education allowing schools to reopen if they follow COVID-19 safety protocols
Texas: The Texas Tribune: "Between 0 and 100%": Texas schools weigh the odds of students returning this fall
West Virginia: Charleston Gazette Mail: WV announces plan to send about $300 to most WV students for food
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COVID-19 Webinars
WEBINAR: Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: Safety and Emergency Management with the Coronavirus Pandemic, City & State
WEBINAR: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 1:00 PM ET: COVID-19: How’s It Changing Elections? National Conference of State Legislatures
WEBINAR: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: Regulatory Affairs in a Time of Uncertainty – What’s ahead for the rest of 2020, Women in Government Relations
WEBINAR: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 3:00 PM ET: COVID-19: Mobilizing a Safe and Adequate Health Workforce, National Conference of State Legislatures
WEBINAR: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 3:00 PM ET: COVID-19: Congressional Appropriations for Justice and Homeland Security Programs, National Conference of State Legislatures
WEBINAR: Thursday, May 7, 2020 11-12:00 PM ET: Maintaining Strong Cross-Border Economic Ties during the COVID-19 Crisis, The Council of State Governments, Midwestern Legislative Conference
WEBINAR: Thursday, May 7, 2020, 1-2:00 PM ET: COVID-19 and Impact to Dealerships: M&A, Customer Expectations, and Virtual/Remote Operations, Center for Automotive Research
WEBINAR: Thursday, May 7, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: Election 2020: Smart Get Out the Vote Strategies during Quarantine, Public Affairs Council
WEBINAR: Thursday, May 7, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: Fine-tune Your Executive Presence As We Navigate Our New Normal, Women in Government Relations
WEBINAR: Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: New York’s Most Vulnerable to the Coronavirus Pandemic, City & State
WEBINAR: Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: Counties Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Small Business Support, National Association of Counties
WEBINAR: Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 3:00 PM ET: COVID-19: Juvenile Justice Responses, National Conference of State Legislatures
WEBINAR: Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 3-4:00 PM ET: COVID-19: Ensuring Adequate Health Care Facilities, National Conference of State Legislatures
WEBINAR: Thursday, May 14, 2020, 11-12:00 PM ET: Balancing Criminal Justice & Public Health in the Time of COVID-19, The Council of State Governments, Midwestern Legislative Conference WEBINAR: Thursday, May 14, 2020, 2-3:15 PM ET: Lobbying and Advocacy Lessons from COVID-19, Public Affairs Council
VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 2-4:15 PM ET: Communicating the Value of GR in Dollars and Cents, Public Affairs Council
WEBINAR: Thursday, May 21, 2020, 11-12:00 PM ET: Relief & Recovery: Strategies to Rebound from the COVID-19 Economic Downturn, The Council of State Governments, Midwestern Legislative Conference
WEBINAR: Thursday, May 21, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: Tracking a Moving Target: Researching the Impact of COVID-19 on County Governments, National Association of Counties
WEBINAR: Tuesday, May 26, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: New York’s Education System in the Coronavirus Pandemic, City & State
WEBINAR: Wednesday, June 3, 2020, 2-3:00 PM ET: Administering an Election during the COVID-19 Crisis, National Association of Counties
WEBINAR: Tuesday, June 16, 2020, 9:30-12:15 PM ET: Virtual Workshop: Online and Social Media Compliance for PAC and Grassroots during COVID-19, Public Affairs Council
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Current COVID-19-related categories include:
- COVID-19 Response (General)
- Contact Tracing
- E-closings
- Essential Business Designations & Shelter in Place
- Eviction Moratoriums
- Government Assistance to Individuals
- Government Assistance to Businesses
- Health Insurance/Medicaid
- Insurance Misc.
- Paid Leave
- Price Gouging
- Remote Education
- Remote Meeting & Voting in Legislatures
- Remote Notarization
- School Requirement Waivers
- Tax Deadline Extensions
- Utility Disconnect
Reach out to your lead analyst to add any of these to your database.
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Additional FOCUS Tools & Offerings
- Free tracking of coronavirus-related legislation and regulations for all clients. - Free, unlimited trainings on the FOCUS database for all clients. - Free access to our global lobbyist network, The Advocacy Group (TAG) - Research, White Papers and Resource-Gathering.
Learn more about what we do at LeoninePublicAffairs.com/Services/FOCUS/ To our clients: FOCUS is currently well-equipped to continue providing you with the same high level of service you are used to. Our goal during these challenging times is to continue to be there for you and serve as an extension of your staff. We will continue to manage your association or issues and provide you with information about legislative and regulatory developments that remain essential to your job. If there are special projects, research or other services that could be helpful to you during this time, please reach out to us and ask. If we are able to help you, we will!
Stay safe and be well.
~ Leif Johnson and the FOCUS Team
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