Update: May 21 9:30 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus

Friends and Neighbors,

In press releases and during his nightly press briefing, Governor Lamont announced Executive Order 7RR which allows DEEP to issue rental refunds, requires health insurance policies to cover certain birth-to-three services, and waives certain requirements for private clubs.

To watch the full video of the governor’s daily 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/2020/05-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-May-21

Executive Order No. 7RR enacts the following provisions:

• Authority for DEEP to issue rental refunds: Authorizes the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to reimburse funds that were collected from rent paid by any person for use of state park property, including for camping or any special event.
• Modification of age limit for early intervention coverage: Requires health insurance policies to continue providing coverage for birth to three programs after a child’s third birthday in the event that school closures may delay a child’s transition to other services for older children.
• Waiver of requirement for guest books at private clubs: Waives the statutory requirement that private clubs maintain guest books to reduce shared points of contact.

**Download: Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 7RR

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Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles extends expiring credential deadlines to 180 Days

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) today announced that as the state continues responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, its previously enacted 90-day extension for Connecticut residents with expiring credentials is being extended to a total of 180 days. Eligible DMV credentials that expire between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020 are automatically covered by this extension.

In addition to extending the expiration date of DMV credentials, late fees associated with eligible expired credentials will be waived during the time period of the extension for qualifying credentials.

Deadlines have been extended for the following DMV-related items:

• All Licenses, Permits and Identification Cards: Lengthens the credential extension to 180 days for credentials that expire between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020.
• All Registrations Including International Registration Plan (IRP) and Boat Registrations: For credentials expiring between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020, credentials will be extended by 180 days from the expiration date.
• Emissions Testing and Retesting: For test due dates that fall between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020, the due date will be extended by 180 days from the emissions expiration date.
• Permanent Disability Placard: Any permanent disability placard that expires at the same time as a credential that is subject to a 180-day extension, will be extended by 180 days.
• Business Licenses: For credentials expiring between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020, credentials will be extended by 180 days from the expiration date.
• Temporary Registrations: Temporary registrations obtained after March 10, 2020 are extended by 180 days.
• Temporary (Paper) Licenses: Expiration dates will be extended by 180 days for all temporary (paper) licenses obtained after March 10, 2020.
• Flashing Light Permits: Expiration dates between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020 are extended by 180 days.
• New Residents: For any person who moved to Connecticut after March 10, 2020, the deadline for obtaining a license, registration, or emissions inspection in Connecticut will be extended by 180 days.
• Suspension Related Matters: Suspensions that take effect between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020 will be delayed by 180 days as a result of failure to attend an Operator Retraining or Child Safety Seat Program, or nonpayment of fees due to a returned check or rejected payment.
• VIN Verification: Waived until September 10, 2020.
• School Bus Proficiency Tests: Extends the validity of school bus proficiency tests that are due between March 10, 2020 and June 30, 2020 by 180 days.
• Ignition Interlock Devices: Waives violations and penalties associated with failing to meet 30-day recalibration of ignition interlock devices until September 10, 2020.

For updates and more information about the DMV credential extensions, visit CTDMV.info. For questions, residents can call 860-263-5700 or 1-800-842-8222.

Connecticut Department of Social Services preparing online access to food with SNAP benefits

The Connecticut Department of Social Services is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, the state’s electronic benefit transfer (EBT) vendor, and participating food retailers to implement SNAP online purchasing in Connecticut.

Federal approval of the state’s plan was received May 20, and system testing is scheduled to be completed on May 29. The beginning of online food purchasing is tentatively scheduled for June 2. When activated, enrollees will be able to use SNAP benefits on their EBT card to purchase eligible food items online for delivery or curbside pickup at participating food retailers.

Participating food retailers to start are Amazon, including Amazon Pantry and Amazon Fresh; 12 Walmart stores (click here for list); and Wakefern Food Corp., which has 22 participating ShopRite stores in state (click here for list).

Based on successful system testing, online SNAP access is currently scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 2, with all participating outlets online by June 3. A full schedule and contact points will be announced closer to June 2.

To read the federal approval announcement, click here. For more information about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Connecticut, visit www.ct.gov/snap.

Connecticut Department of Labor notifying more than 75,000 individuals about potential eligibility for extended unemployment benefits

Leadership at the Connecticut Department of Labor today announced that the agency is planning to mail instruction letters this Friday to approximately 77,000 individuals in the state who have been identified as potentially eligible to apply for 13 weeks of emergency extended unemployment benefits.

Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said that the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) included an extension of the 26 weeks of regular state unemployment insurance to 39 weeks through the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program. PEUC could be retroactive to March 29, 2020 and will be in effect through December 26, 2020. Weekly PEUC benefits are based on wage history using the same formula for determining state unemployment insurance benefit amounts. It also includes the additional $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefit.

The notifications will include instructions on steps that potentially eligible claimants will need to follow to receive the emergency extended benefits.

For more information on this announcement, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

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Governor Lamont Applauds CVS Health Announcement on the Opening of 13 Additional Drive-Thru COVID-19 Test Sites in Connecticut

CVS Health is Now Operating 25 Test Sites at the Company’s Pharmacies Across Connecticut

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is applauding an announcement made today by CVS Health that the company is opening 13 new COVID-19 test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations in Connecticut. These test sites, which are set to open on Friday, May 22, 2020, come in addition to the 12 locations the company previously opened in the state on May 15.

These new sites will utilize self-swab tests and will be available to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com to schedule an appointment. Upon arriving for their appointment, patients must stay in their cars and will be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window, where they will be provided with a test kit and given instructions. A CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly. Tests will be sent to an independent, third-party lab for processing and the results will be available in approximately three days.

The 13 new CVS Health test sites in Connecticut that will open on Friday, May 22, include:

• CVS Pharmacy, 81 North Street, Bristol, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 292 Spielman Highway, Burlington, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 47 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 16 Main Street, East Hartford, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 15 Chesterfield Road, East Lyme, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 1770 Kings Highway, Fairfield, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 1657 Route 12, Gales Ferry, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 690 Wethersfield Avenue, Hartford, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 57 Providence Pike, Putnam, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 229 Hope Street, Stamford, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 1938 West Main Street, Stamford, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 2005 Norwich-New London Turnpike, Uncasville, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 355 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT

The 12 previously announced CVS Health test sites that opened on May 15 include:

• CVS Pharmacy, 7 Durant Avenue, Bethel, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 905 South Main Street, Cheshire, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 3514 Main Street, Coventry, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 54 East High Street, East Hampton, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 875 Enfield Street, Enfield, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 2639 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 1057 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 479 Blue Hills Avenue, Hartford, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 150 Washington Street, Hartford, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 323 Cromwell Avenue, Rocky Hill, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 525 Buckland Street, South Windsor, CT
• CVS Pharmacy, 1 Hawley Lane, Stratford, CT

For additional information from CVS Health, visit www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing.

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As of 10:00 a.m. – Thursday, May 21^st – the state is reporting a total of 39208 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 3582.

*For public health surveillance, COVID-19-associated deaths include persons who tested positive for COVID-19 around the time of death (confirmed) and persons whose death certificate lists COVID-19 disease as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death (probable).

Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut

Updated 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 21, 2020

Total patients who tested positive: 39208

Fairfield County: 14751

Hartford County: 9299

Litchfield County: 1303

Middlesex County: 972

New Haven County: 10663

New London County: 903

Tolland County: 787

Windham County: 336

Pending address validation: 194