Published Apr 17, 2020 by Taylor Landin
In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Partnership will provide a daily update on public policies and other newsworthy items from local, state and national levels of government.
Executive Summary
In the ongoing response to COVID-19, all levels of government continue to balance the economic and public health impacts of COVID-19. At the federal level, the Trump administration has released guidance for an approach in three phases to reopening the country’s economy, which details public activities and health protocols for each stage. An additional 5.2 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, bringing the total to 22 million people who have filed for unemployment. The Paycheck Protection Program as authorized under the CARES Act, which injected $349 billion in forgivable loans for small businesses to keep employees on the payroll, has hit its cap in less than two weeks. At the state level, Governor Abbott made a joint announcement with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo to open two new drive-through testing sites in Harris County at two Houston-area Walgreens as part of an ongoing effort to expand COVID-19 testing sites in the region.
Federal
Reopening the Country
Unemployment
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
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State
Governor Abbott made a joint announcement with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on the opening of two new drive-through testing sites in Harris County at two area Walgreens as part of an ongoing effort to continue expanding testing sites in the Houston region.
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Local
April 16th Public Policy Update
Executive Summary
Texas continues to respond to COVID-19 with a focus on addressing vulnerable populations and slowing the spread of the virus. Governor Greg Abbott announced local jails and detention centers will receive $38 million in federal funding to help cover COVID-19 costs related to PPE, medical care and overtime pay for public safety personnel. At the local level, the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund deployed its first round of grants, totaling $1.5 million invested in 30 nonprofits, to provide food and emergency financial assistance to vulnerable families and individuals in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Waller counties. Fort Bend ISD announced that campuses will remain closed for the remainder of the current academic school year. They are the first traditional public school district in the greater Houston region to extend campus closures.
Federal
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State
Governor Abbott announced $38 million in federal funding will go to local jails and detention centers to help cover COVID-19 costs, including personal protective equipment, medical care costs and overtime pay for public safety personnel.
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Local
Public Education
School Closures
Higher Education
April 15th Public Policy Update
Executive Summary
All levels of government continue to address the economic impacts of COVID-19. At the federal level, President Trump announced a slate of more than 100 industry leaders he described as the “Great American Economic Revival Industry Group” with whom he will engage. The administration has also struck a deal with airlines for a $25 billion recovery package outlined under the CARES Act. At the local level, wireless hotspots are in extreme demand as Houston area school districts attempt to provide their highest need student populations with access to their online distance learning platforms. In a survey issued by the Region 4 Education Service Center and the Greater Houston Partnership, 32 area school districts and charter schools have reported that tens of thousands of Houston area students do not have access to a laptop or computer, do not have access to a cellular device, or need a WIFI hotspot to access the Internet.
Federal
Economic Revival Industry Group
Airline Bailout
WHO Funding
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State
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Public Education
Distance Learning
School Closures
April 14th Public Policy Update
Executive Summary
All levels of government continue to respond to the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19. At the federal level, negotiations over the next round of federal assistance to small businesses have stalled in Congress. At the state level, Governor Greg Abbott announced a $50 million small business assistance loan program to respond to COVID-19 in partnership with Goldman Sachs and LiftFund. At the local level, the City of Houston has expanded COVID-19 testing to anyone wanting to get a test and doubled their drive-thru daily testing capacity to 1,000.
Federal
Interim Stimulus Package
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State
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Local
Higher Education Update
Institution Updates
Funding Requests