Posted on December 10, 2020 at 11:33 AM by TML Staff
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Urgent Updates
What is the latest news on the prospects for a federal
Coronavirus stimulus bill this year that would benefit cities?
According to our advocacy partners at the National League of
Cities, Senate leadership is considering trading away any new city funding
support in exchange for dropping efforts to increase liability protections in
the next bill. This trade-off is based on an incorrect belief by some
senators that the nation’s cities are financially healthy.
The takeaway? If your city is suffering financial effects
from Coronavirus, now is the time to contact Senators Cornyn and Cruz to
explain the state of your city’s finances and to continue to urge them to
include state and local government aid in the next stimulus bill.
Are there new pre-filed bills at the Texas Capitol related to
Coronavirus that would affect Texas cities?
Yes, the following bill has been filed since last week:
H.J.R. 42 (Toth) – Governor’s Authority in a
Disaster: would amend the Texas Constitution to: (1) prohibit the
governor from issuing an order or proclamation that violates or suspends
constitutional rights; (2) provide that a state of disaster or emergency
declared by the governor may not continue for more than 30 days unless it is
renewed or extended by the legislature; (3) require the governor to convene
the legislature in special session when the governor proposes to renew an
order or proclamation declaring a state of disaster or emergency; (4) provide
that in a special session convened under (3), above, the legislature may: (a)
renew or extend the state of disaster or emergency; (b) respond to the state
of disaster or emergency by passing or suspending laws related to the state
of disaster or emergency; and (c) consider any other subjects stated in the
governor’s proclamation convening the special session.
Further Updates
How can we apply what we’ve learned from COVID-19 to build
resiliency?
Faculty from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The
University of Texas at Austin have published a toolkit on the COVID-19 crisis
titled “Resiliency in the Age of COVID-19.” The toolkit is a
collection of 18 articles designed to give policymakers the knowledge and
solutions to tackle the pandemic’s challenges. The articles are rooted in the
principle of resiliency which is used to describe how a community of any size
copes with crises like pandemics, natural disasters, and economic shocks.
Solutions in the toolkit build this capacity through recommendations such as
scenario planning, increased public engagement, improved capacity building and
partnerships, and more. Access the free toolkit here.
Where can I find archived issues of the TML Coronavirus
Updates?
TML Coronavirus Updates are archived by date here and by subject here.
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