Newsom Administration Announces Additional Restrictions for Sectors, Schools to Slow Transmission of COVID-19

Announcements, COVID-19 | July 17, 2020

Newsom Administration Announces Additional Restrictions for Sectors, Schools to Slow Transmission of COVID-19

This week, the Newsom Administration announced additional sector restrictions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state. The actions include: Expanded Closures of Indoor Operations for Certain Sectors, Counties On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced expanding indoor closures of certain businesses both statewide and in counties…

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Announcements, COVID-19 | July 17, 2020

State Details Updated COVID-19 Testing Criteria, Activities

This week, the Newsom Administration announced a handful of COVID-19 testing-related activities, including updated COVID-19 testing guidance, new requirements for health plans to cover testing, and new California COVID-19 Testing Task Force leaders. Below, each of the actions is detailed: Testing Guidance The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued updated testing guidance that focuses…

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Announcements | July 17, 2020

Homekey Funding Now Available to Local Governments

This week, the Newsom Administration announced the availability of $600 million in funding for Homekey, the next phase of Project Roomkey to provide shelter for Californians experiencing homelessness who are at high risk from serious illness from COVID-19. Homekey grant funds are available to counties, cities, and other governmental entities to purchase and rehabilitate hotels,…

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Reports | July 17, 2020

National Drug Overdose Deaths Surge to Record Level

After U.S. drug overdose deaths fell for the first time in 25 years in 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week indicated deaths surged to record levels in 2019 and are continuing to climb. The CDC reports that projected deaths from drug overdoses increased to nearly 72,000 deaths or 4.8…

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Budget | July 3, 2020

Newsom Signs 2020-21 Budget

Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed the 2020 Budget Act, representing a $202.1 billion spending plan that addresses numerous pressing issues related to emergency response, public health and safety, and economic recovery while addressing the state’s $54.3 billion budget deficit ushered in by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Among the 2020 Budget Act measure, Governor Newsom…

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COVID-19, Legislative Updates | July 3, 2020

Senate Public Safety Committee Examines COVID-19 in State Prisons

On Wednesday, the Senate Public Safety Committee convened an informational hearing to assess COVID-19 in California’s state prisons. Committee Chair Senator Nancy Skinner opened Wednesday’s hearing by providing an overview of the current COVID-19 case counts within state prisons among inmates and staff, as well as remarks on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s…

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COVID-19, Legislative Updates | July 3, 2020

Senate Convenes Joint Informational Hearing to Examine COVID-19 in California’s U.S.-Mexico Border Region

On Tuesday, the Senate Select Committee on California-Mexico Cooperation and the Senate Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response convened an informational hearing to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the California-Mexico border region. The hearing began with opening remarks from Select Committee Chair Senator Ben Hueso, Special Committee Chair Senator Lena Gonzalez, and Consul General…

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Announcements, COVID-19 | July 3, 2020

State Orders Additional Action to Slow COVID-19 Community Transmission

On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced actions required of 19 counties on the County Monitoring List for three consecutive days or more, including closing indoor operations for specified sectors which promote the mixing of populations beyond households and make adherence to physical distancing and wearing face coverings…

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Announcements | July 3, 2020

Pan, Kothari, Fanelli Among Governor Appointees

On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a series of appointments to leadership roles within the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Social Services, among other agencies. The following officials were appointed: Erica Pan, Deputy Director for the Center for Infectious Disease and California State Epidemiologist, CDPH – Erica Pan has been…

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