Urgent Updates
On Wednesday, we surveyed whether mayors believe that Fourth of
July celebrations (e.g., parades, fireworks shows, etc.) should be allowed with
appropriate virus-prevention protocols. How did the survey go?
Ninety-five mayors responded (the League has 1,161 member
cities), from cities with a population ranging from 192 -
118,000. Seventy-seven percent voted in favor of allowing Fourth of July
celebrations, with appropriate virus-prevention protocols.
Has the U.S. Department of Treasury updated its Coronavirus
Relief Fund questions and answers document?
Yes. Treasury issued an updated version of the document yesterday (May 28). League staff has broken out in this document the updated or new
Q&As. Most of the new Q&As relate to fund administration, but the
following is one of the substantive additions:
“May payments from the Fund be used to cover across-the-board
hazard pay for employees working during a state of emergency?
No. The Guidance says that funding may be used to meet payroll
expenses for public safety, public health, health care, human services, and
similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or
responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Hazard pay is a form of
payroll expense and is subject to this limitation, so Fund payments may only be
used to cover hazard pay for such individuals.”
Further Updates
Has the governor said anything recently regarding early voting
for the November election?
Yes. According to a May 28 article in The Texas Tribune:
“Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday he will extend the
early voting period for an unspecified amount of time during the November
election as concerns continue to persist around in-person voting during the
coronavirus pandemic.
Abbott has already doubled the time period for the
primary runoff election July 14, calling it necessary so that ‘election
officials can implement appropriate social distancing and safe hygiene
practices.’
In a TV interview Thursday afternoon, Abbott was asked if he
believes Texas voters will be able to cast their ballots safely not only this
summer but also in the fall.
‘We do, and for this reason, and that is ... Texas has always
had early voting, and what I did for the July time period and what we will do
again for the November time period is we will extend the early voting period,’
Abbott said in the interview with KCBD in Lubbock. ‘And what that does — it
allows more people to go vote early in settings that are not highly
congregated. As a result, you can go vote without having to worry about a whole
bunch of people being around you that you could contract COVID-19 from. That
makes voting a lot safer [of a] setting than it would otherwise be with the
shortened early voting time period.’”
Where can I find archived issues of the TML Coronavirus Updates?
TML Coronavirus Updates are archived by date here and by subject here.