STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FPLG COVID-19 RESPONSE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
[UPDATE: September 3, 2020]
This summer was marked by unfortunate (though predictable) rollbacks from the rapid (though in stages) reopening of California in May and June of 2020. Too many Californians lowered their guard and the state’s coronavirus cases spiked dramatically. [Under construction; additional revisions to be added.]
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[UPDATE: May 25, 2020]
On May 18, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced important modifications to the Phase 2 Plan for gradually reopening California that he had announced on May 8, 2020. (The State of California has been under lock-down since mid-March with encouraging results that haven’t mimicked the overwhelming of health care facilities occurring in other locations.)
On May 25, 2020, the Governor’s Office approved the limited resumption of religious services statewide, subject to health and safety restrictions.
The new rules vary to a large extent county-by-county, with the most (current) easing occurring in the smaller, rural locales. They also vary industry by industry; some segments of the nonprofit sector are treated differently than others. These complex rules are developing.
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[April 1, 2020]
The current response to COVID-19 on the state levels involves: the Governor’s office, state departments and agencies, and the California Legislature.
The state’s central pandemic-response website is: CA.gov: California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response.
It includes all of the official actions and declarations by Governor Gavin Newsom, as well as action and information from the state’s executive branch. As with the federal level, many California agencies are involved in this response, enforcing existing laws, regulations, and rules, and updating guidance for the current circumstances. The references listed here are just a few of the many in effect.
In mid-March, the California legislature unanimously enacted S.B. 89 which amends the budget to make a massive appropriation on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Legislature is in recess until about mid-April, but that date could be changed.
We’re going to be more stubborn this time,….This more stringent, but we believe more steady approach.
— Gov. Gavin Newsom, (8/28/20)
We recognize the conditions across the state are unique and distinctive depending where you are. The bottom line is people can go at their own pace and we are empowering our local health directors and county officials that understand their local communities and conditions better than any of us.
— Gov. Gavin Newsom, (5/18/20)
The governor stressed a major strategy in California’s battle in the pandemic is to test, trace and quarantine people with COVID-19. That tracing component has lagged behind; only 23 of 58 counties are currently conducting contact tracing.
— Hannah Hagermann, NPR (April (5/4/20)
While Californians have stepped up in a big way to flatten the curve and buy us time to prepare to fight the virus, at some point in the future we will need to modify our stay-at-home order. As we contemplate reopening parts of our state, we must be guided by science and data, and we must understand that things will look different than before.
— Gov. Gavin Newsom (4/14/20)
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
- California limits church capacity to 25% for reopening, adds other restrictions (May 25, 2020) Monte Morin, The Los Angeles Times
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Counties Statewide Can Reopen Places of Worship for Religious Services and Retail Stores (May 25, 2020), California Department of Public Health
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COVID-19 INDUSTRY GUIDANCE: Places of Worship and Providers of Religious Services and Cultural Ceremonies (May 25, 2020) covid19.ca.gov
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When Is California Reopening? (May 21, 2020) Sona Patel, The New York Times
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Coronavirus: Tracking California’s progress toward reopening (May 19, 2020) The Los Angeles Times
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Newsom eases California reopening rules, allowing more counties to restart their economies (May 18, 2020) John Myers, Taryn Luna & Phil Willon, The Los Angeles Times
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Coronavirus forces sharp cuts to schools, healthcare in California, Newsom says (May 14, 2020) John Myers, The Los Angeles Times
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Gov. Newsom Announces California Will Begin Easing Coronavirus Closures This Week (May 4, 2020) Hannah Hagemann, NPR
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Leader Atkins Provides Senate Schedule Update (April 28, 2020) California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego)
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Colorado and Nevada join Western States Pact as states work on unified coronavirus strategy (April 27, 2020) Artemis Moshtaghian & Paul LeBlanc, CNN
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Governor Newsom Announces New Initiatives to Support California Workers Impacted by COVID-19 (April 15, 2020), State of California, Office of the Governor
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Governor Newsom Outlines Six Critical Indicators the State will Consider Before Modifying the Stay-at-Home Order and Other COVID-19 Interventions (April 14, 2020) State of California, Office of the Governor
- California Legislature suspends session in response to coronavirus outbreak (March 17, 2020) Hannah Wiley, The Sacramento Bee
- Governor Gavin Newsom Issues Stay at Home Order at gov.ca.gov (March 19, 2020)
- California Secures Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to Support State’s COVID-19 Emergency Response at gov.ca.gov (March 22, 2020)
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