An email from Utah State Senator, Keith Grover. I got permission to share these emails from the Senator. This is a submission to caucus corner.

Email May 9th
Here are some updates from the last few days:
• Utah small businesses renting commercial property who lost revenue as a result of measures taken to minimize the public’s exposure to COVID-19 may receive pandemic relief. During the special session, the Legislature passed S.B. 3006, which appropriated $40 million in commercial property rental assistance. GOMB will oversee the COVID-19 Commercial Rental Assistance Program and administer the grants. Qualifying businesses and nonprofits may apply beginning May 11. More information here.
• On May 4, the Utah Driver License Division began offering additional services by appointment only, including learner permits, original license/out of state transfer, provisional license, motorcycle permits and the motorcycle skills test. Essential services are available on a walk-in basis. Learn more here and here.
• The Utah Department of Health is asking businesses to follow the Utah Leads Together 2.0 plan guidelines by encouraging employees to stay home when ill. Read the guidelines here.
• The Small Business Administration announced agricultural businesses are now eligible for the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans as part of the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. Learn more here.
• Utah’s transmission rate for COVID-19 is 1:1. The state’s robust testing has received accolades across the United States. According to a Harvard Global Health Institute analysis, Utah is one of the nine states that have the testing capacity needed to start reopening. Our state fatality rate is just under 1 percent, which is one of the lowest in the nation.
• The COVID-19 case count dashboard on coronavirus.utah.gov now includes current hospitalizations in Utah due to the virus. See the dashboard here.
• The Utah State Fair is still scheduled to take place September 10-20. Fair officials are continuing to work with public and health officials to implement best practices and provide safety to those who attend. The state fair’s website can be found here.
• The state has the opportunity to help struggling Utah farmers who are experiencing food insecurity. Learn how to help here.
As of May 8 at 1:00 p.m. Utah’s private and public laboratories have administered 138,688 tests with 5,919 testing positive.

There have been 488 total hospitalizations, with 92 currently hospitalized.

There have been 61 fatalities, with an estimated 2,769 recovered.

Additional information can be found here.

Email: May 6th

Here are some updates on COVID and other issues.
• FEMA announced $200 million in supplemental funding from the CARES Act for grants through its Emergency Food and Shelter Program. Combined with the $120 million in annual funding appropriated by Congress, a total of $320 million will be distributed throughout the country to human service organizations to assist those in need. Read more here.
• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has published resources to help partners and stakeholders deal with managing risks to their ICT supply chains. Resources can be found here.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $20 million to increase telehealth access and infrastructure for providers and families to help respond to COVID-19. Read more here.
• The Centers for Disease and Control, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, issued guidance for cleaning and disinfecting spaces as the United States begins to reopen. The guidance offers step by step instructions on how people can reduce the risk of exposure to COVID 19 and stay safe in public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools, and homes. Read the guidelines here.
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began processing payments from the Provider Relief Fund to hospitals with large numbers of COVID-19 inpatient admissions through April 10, as well as to rural providers. Read more here.
• Border Patrol has strengthened its presence along California’s coastline to combat human and drug trafficking, preventing further spread of COVID-19. Read more here.
• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency launched a telework product line intended to advise and support businesses and organizations that increased telework due to COVID-19. More information here.
• Malls in Utah are beginning to reopen as the state moves to the orange phase of the Utah Leads Together 2.0 plan. Malls that announced openings include City Creek Center, The Gateway, Fashion Place and Station Park. Shoppers are encouraged to check individual locations for hours of operation.
• Starting this week, state epidemiologist Angela Dunn will be holding briefings three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1:30 p.m. Watch the briefings here.
• In Utah, 60 percent of COVID-19 cases have been individuals exposed to the virus by someone in their household, 20 percent of cases have been exposed by someone they knew outside their household, 11 percent have been a result of community spread, and 4 percent were exposed at their workplace.
• The state is tracking a COVID-19 outbreak in the San Juan health district associated with the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation has had a total of 116 cases from the beginning of the outbreak and over half occurred last week. The Utah Department of Health’s mobile testing team has been out several times in the past couple of weeks testing all community members and providing guidance on contact tracing, quarantine, and isolation.
• iFit Interactive Fitness donated one million medical-grade surgical masks to the state. Read more here.
• Zion National Park is expected to increase access to the park starting May 13. More information here.
• Palisade State Park, including the golf course, is now open. Read more here.
• Beginning May 5, Capitol Reef National Park will reopen access to day use in the North District (Cathedral Valley) and South District (Waterpocket Fold), and overnight stays in Cedar Mesa campground and Cathedral Valley campground. Learn more here.
• President Trump announced efforts to increase the safety of seniors during COVID-19 by coordinating two shipments of PPE to all 15,400 Medicaid and Medicare-certified nursing homes in the United States. The first shipments are expected to begin this week and are meant to supplement existing efforts to provide equipment to nursing homes. Read more here.
• On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced $40 million of available funds for the development and coordination of a network of national, state, territorial, tribal and local organizations to deliver COVID-19 related information to minority, rural, and socially vulnerable communities hardest hit by the virus. More information here.
• The Department of Justice and Homeland Security are extending their temporary postponement of Migrant Protection Protocols due to COVID-19. Hearings scheduled through June 1 will be rescheduled for a later date. More information here.
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched the “Operation Stolen Promise” web page providing information on COVID-19-related fraud schemes. The page highlights investigative efforts the agency has taken and shares facts, tips and guidance on how to recognize and report potential fraud. Read more here.

During Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to give a special thank you to all teachers! During this unique time, I have watched teachers adapt quickly and use innovation and caring to reach out to their students.

I have 4 children in public schools at all levels and the teachers at these schools have been phenomenal as I am sure your teachers have been for you if you have school-aged children.

Thank you teachers!

Email May 2nd
Good Saturday Morning,
• The Utah Department of Health deployed a strike team to a residential facility in Utah County that cares for adults with intellectual disabilities where several staff and residents tested positive for COVID-19 over the past several days. The strike team is providing nursing level care, PPE, medical supplies and testing all residents and staff who initially tested negative.
• Grand County issued a press release informing visitors that the national parks in the Southeast Utah Group and the campgrounds on all other public lands remain closed. Overnight accommodations and commercial campgrounds in Moab will be open, as well as trails on public lands. The county is asking everyone who cannot social distance to wear a mask. Read more here.
• The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has opened the application process for the UDAF COVID-19 Grant Relief Program. Grants are available for qualifying Utah agriculture operations. Funding is in association with the CARES Act and S.B. 3006. Learn more here.
• Bryce Canyon National Park will begin increasing recreation access on May 6. Bryce Canyon will reopen access to the main park road and all viewpoints to Rainbow Point, the restrooms at Sunset Point and the trails within the Bryce amphitheater area. The park visitor center, fee booths, campgrounds, as well as the Mossy Cave parking and trail area, Backcountry and Under the Rim trails, and park concession facilities, will remain closed. More information here.
• The golf courses at Wasatch Mountain State Park are now open to all Utahns. More information here.
• The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the National Park Service are working on expanding recreation at Lake Powell. Boaters are encouraged to monitor updates here.
• Utah has received 520,455 face shields, 1,330,555 N95/KN95 masks and 360,663 surgical gowns through purchasing, FEMA and donations.
• The American Red Cross and the American Association of Blood Banks continues to seek blood and convalescent plasma donations. To find where you can donate, click here.
• Gov. Herbert issued an executive order officially moving the state from “high risk” to “moderate risk” on the COVID-19 health guidance and protocol scale beginning May 1. The order adopts the guidance provided for the orange phase in the Utah Leads Together 2.0 plan and is updated to include the recommendations from the Public Health and Economic Emergency Commission. Read the full executive order here. Read the updated version of the guidelines here.
• Gov. Herbert temporarily suspended the enforcement of statutes requiring registration of some motor vehicles through May 15, giving motor vehicle owners a leniency period while navigating closures and appointment-only registration at DMVs. The order is effective starting today, April 30. Read more here. Appointments can be scheduled at dmv.utah.gov.
• The Salt Lake County Mayor, in coordination with the Salt Lake Health Department, issued a new health order rescinding all prior public health orders related to COVID-19 starting today and remaining in effect until May 15. The recommendations mostly mirror the orange phase in the Utah Leads Together 2.0 Plan. Read the order here.
• The number of new claims filed for unemployment in Utah was 11,830 for the week of April 19-25, which is a 40 percent drop from the previous week. However, it is still a 946 percent increase from the average weekly claims in 2019. More than $22.6 million was paid in traditional unemployment benefits, and an additional $40.4 million was paid in federal dollars from the CARES Act $600 weekly stimulus. Additionally, more than 7,300 Utahns filed for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program funded by the CARES Act. The report can be found here.
• The Utah Department of Workforce Services is reminding individuals receiving unemployment benefits must accept suitable offers to return to work, or they may be at risk of losing unemployment benefits. Read more here. Additional information and resources are available at jobs.utah.gov/covid19, including returning to work FAQ for employees and returning to work FAQ for employers.
• Starting next week, Gov. Herbert will no longer be holding daily briefings. Dr. Angela Dunn will give COVID-19 updates about three times a week. The governor will join once a week and as needed.
• The state is working on responding to COVID-19 outbreaks and hotspots by developing strike teams consisting of mobile testing teams, investigative teams and support teams.
• The Trump Administration has taken supportive actions to help Utah during the COVID-19 health crisis. These actions include approving Utah’s Major Disaster Declaration and signing the Paycheck Protection Act and the CARES Act. A breakdown of the funding Utah received from the federal government can be found here.
• The CDC is joining with Action Alliance to launch the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19. Read more here.
• The National Institute of Health announced positive results to a trial using Remdesivir, an investigational broad-spectrum antiviral treatment administered through daily infusions. Hospitalized patients with advanced COVID-19 and lung involvement who received Remdesivir recovered, on average, faster than similar patients who received a placebo. The preliminary data analysis was from a randomized, controlled trial involving 1,063 patients. More information can be found here.
• As of May 1 at 1:00 p.m. Utah’s private and public laboratories have administered 112,558 tests with 4,828 testing positive and 403 individuals having been hospitalized with 186 currently hospitalized. There have been 46 fatalities and 2,062 have recovered. Additional information can be found here.

Thursday, the Air Force F-35A Lightning II Demonstration and 388th Fighter Wing performed a formation flyover throughout the state. I hope you were all able to see this great tribute to healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 on the frontline. If you miss it, you can watch a video from the lead F35A here and see a picture here.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Senator Keith Grover
Utah Senate District 15
801-319-0170