Update: April 30 9:30 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus
Friends and Neighbors,
Governor Lamont this evening announced Executive Order 7GG.
The Order extends certain state payment deadlines for sealed ticket revenue, waives notary requirements for embalmers in some situations, and suspends controlled substance requirements for certain healthcare workers coming into Connecticut from out of state. The Order also waives certain contracting statutes to expedite procurement of critical services including diagnostic testing for Covid-19, modifies certain construction-related competitive solicitation requirements and extends some contracts to prevent a lapse in service.
The governor announced tentative plans to begin reopening certain business sectors in the state starting on May 20th, contingent upon meeting the reopening criteria being established by the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Board. However, as of now no guidelines, dates, or lists of specific businesses or hygiene requirements have been released.
He also announced that the Department of Labor began accepting claim applications for self-employed workers eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. The process must be completed in two separate steps – filing online then returning a form by mail.
Additionally, the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) and the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) announced that consensus revenue projections have been revised downwards by $687.9 million from previous estimates due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19.
To watch the full video of the governor’s afternoon press conference, please click here:
More information and the governor’s full press release can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-30
The full Executive Order can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7GG.pdf
Executive Order No. 7GG enacts the following provisions:
- Extension of payment time for sealed ticket revenue due to the state: Allows sealed ticket distributors, who must make quarterly payments to the state, to provide uncollected money from this quarter in next quarter’s payment. Many sealed ticket purchases are nonprofit organizations that have closed as a result of the ongoing emergency, thereby making it difficult for sealed ticket distributors to collect revenue due to the distributor for the first quarter of 2020.
- Waiver of notarization requirement for embalmer’s affidavit accompanying death certificates: Permits licensed embalmers who are filing a death certificate for a person who had a communicable disease at the time of death to state on a form that the body has been disinfected in accordance with the Public Health Code by providing a signed statement under penalty of false statement instead of a notarized affidavit. This allows licensed embalmers to more quickly file death certificates with registrars of vital statistics without the in-person contact required for an affidavit.
- Temporary suspension of controlled substance registration: Temporarily suspends the controlled substance registration requirement for out-of-state health care workers who are rendering temporary assistance in Connecticut in accordance with an order from the Department of Public Health.
- Modification of state contracting statutes to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services: Temporarily waives certain state contracting statutes in order to expedite the procurement of critical services, which may include diagnostic testing for COVID-19, that are urgently needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or that will result in disruptions of care for vulnerable populations during this emergency period.
- Modification of state contracting authorities to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services: Temporarily waives certain state contracting statutes in order to expedite the procurement of critical services, which may include diagnostic testing for COVID-19, that that are urgently needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or its effects.
- Modification of state construction requirements to facilitate the emergency provision of construction and construction-related services: Temporarily waives the competitive solicitation requirement in order to expedite the provision of construction or construction-related services in response to emergency needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Extension of existing contracts to prevent gaps in necessary services: Permits the amendment or extension of the renewal deadline of any expiring contract for services until September 30, 2020, provided that the failure to provide an extension would compromise the continuity of state agency systems, operations, or critical services to vulnerable populations.
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Updated list of nursing homes and assisted living facilities with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19
The following documents are updated lists of every nursing home and assisted living facility in Connecticut with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with corresponding data regarding the number of related fatalities among residents in each facility. The data was reported to the state by each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These lists are updated on a weekly basis.
Nursing homes: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/News/20200430-Nursing-Homes-with-COVID19.pdf?la=en
Assisted living facilities: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/News/20200430-Assisted-Living-Facilities-with-COVID19.pdf?la=en
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Governor Lamont outlines phased-in approach to reopening Connecticut’s economy
During his daily news briefing today, Governor Lamont today presented an approach his administration is considering to reopen Connecticut’s economy in phases beginning May 20, 2020.
More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-30
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TAX AND OTHER REVENUES DROP NEARLY $700 MILLION
The Office of Fiscal Analysis projects a General Fund deficit of $958.5 million and a Special Transportation Fund deficit of $99.7 million in FY 20. In total across both funds, revenue projections for taxes and other revenue categories are revised downwards by $687.9 million from our previous estimate to reflect the ongoing impact related to COVID-19.
More information and the full release can be found here: April 30, 2020 FY 20 Budget Projections. More info can also be found at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa/
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LABOR DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES NEW SYSTEM TODAY FOR SELF-EMPLOYED TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Today, the Connecticut Department of Labor began accepting claim applications for the self-employed, many who are eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
“Our agency is proud of the work it has accomplished in order to serve the self-employed – individuals who have not been eligible to apply for unemployment benefits in the past, but are now facing workplace situations never seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said State Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby. “The new online ReEmployCT system meets mandated integrity requirements while providing a federally-required two-step application process.”
Federal guidelines require that self-employed individuals, including independent contractors and “gig” workers, first apply through the Connecticut unemployment system located on www.filectui.com. Applicants must receive a determination notice in the mail from the Connecticut Department of Labor before they can apply on the newly-designed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance online system that will also be located at www.filectui.com.
Self-employed individuals will follow this two-step application process.
More information from the DOL is available here: http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/communic/2020-4/Labor%20Department%20Launches%20New%20System%20Today%20For%20Self-Employed%20To%20Apply%20For%20Federal%20Unemployment%20Benefits.pdf
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Department of Social Services preparing new Medicaid coverage for uninsured during COVID-19 public health emergency
The Connecticut Department of Social Services is preparing to implement new coverage for uninsured children and adults in the HUSKY Health program as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
This will include:
- Medicaid for the Uninsured/COVID-19: Uninsured state residents of any income level may be eligible for free Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits. This new federally-funded Medicaid coverage group will cover both citizens and qualifying non-citizens for testing and provider visits incurred between March 18, 2020 and the end of the public health emergency. HUSKY Health providers are advised to retain records regarding COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits for eligible individuals, starting March 18 and through the duration of the public health emergency, for purposes of Medicaid reimbursement. The Department of Social Services expects to issue more detailed guidance on this new coverage group, including processes for enrollment and claiming, by mid-May. At that point, individuals who received care on or after March 18 and were eligible for coverage at the time services were provided will be able to receive retroactive coverage.
- Emergency Medicaid for Non-Citizens/COVID-19: Connecticut residents who meet financial eligibility requirements but do not qualify for full Medicaid due to their immigration status, including undocumented individuals, are eligible to receive Medicaid to treat an emergency medical condition. COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits are emergency visits that will be covered by Emergency Medicaid. Emergency Medicaid is not a factor in federal immigration ‘public charge’ determinations. The Department of Social Services expects to issue more detailed guidance, including processes for enrollment and claiming for testing and testing-related services, by mid-May. At that point, individuals who received care within the prior three months and were eligible for coverage at the time services were provided will be able to receive retroactive coverage. HUSKY Health providers are advised that coverage for hospitalization will be handled through existing processes for Emergency Medicaid coverage.
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Connecticut Judicial Branch expands remote capabilities to include more family cases
The Connecticut Judicial Branch today announced that effective immediately, parties who have an agreement may have their family court cases resolved without having to come to court.
Under the new procedures for family cases, parties with full written agreements in family court matters may request approval of their agreements without having to come to the courthouse for a hearing. The procedure is available to request the entry of final judgment in any action for custody, visitation between parents, dissolution of marriage or legal separation, or any final order on any motion in such a case, as long as the parties are in complete agreement and file all necessary documents.
For more information on how these procedures will work, check out the explanation on the Judicial Branch’s website.
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As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Thursday, April 30th – the state has diagnosed a total of 27700 cases of Coronavirus. Updated virus totals and Town-by-Town statistics can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus
The total statewide number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is 2257.
Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut
Updated 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Total patients who tested positive: 27700
Fairfield County: 11294
Hartford County: 5601
Litchfield County: 963
Middlesex County: 657
New Haven County: 7536
New London County: 564
Tolland County: 437
Windham County: 186
Pending address validation: 462