Government Relations Focal Point

Twenty-eight state legislatures are scheduled to be in session; only eight are currently in session : Alabama , Alaska , Arizona , Arkansas, California , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , District of Columbia, Federal, Hawaii , Illinois , Kansas , Louisiana , Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri , Nebraska , New Hampshire , New Jersey, New York , Ohio , Oklahoma , Pennsylvania, Rhode Island , South Carolina , Vermont, and Wisconsin .

Territories : Guam, Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , and Virgin Islands

For the states in bold, their legislatures are either adjourned or suspended due to COVID-19 .

* Click here for a complete 2020 calendar of the state's legislative session dates .

In This Issue

Take Survey Now
Federal Report
COVID-19 Update
State Summary

Take Survey Now

Your immediate response is requested.

Earlier this month, NASBP and SFAA contacted all 50 state governors and their chiefs of staff and sent a letter along with a white paper requesting that they take immediate action by issuing an Executive Order regarding the acceptance of electronic bonds, including use of electronic signatures, seals, and powers of attorney. The letter is intended to ensure that construction services, accompanying performance guarantees, and all commercial surety guarantees continue to be provided without significant disruption or impediment during the current COVID-19 crisis. Subsequent to our outreach, a number of these offices have requested the following information because they are not convinced that wet signature requirements are a problem and want specific examples before agreeing to move forward with consideration of an emergency executive order.

Please consider taking part in this survey , if you are aware of the following:

State agencies or local agencies that are not accepting electronically executed bonds (still requiring the wet signatures);
Any problems you are seeing with the notary process;
Any problems or health risks to which you are seeing surety agents exposing themselves to continue the past practice of wet signatures and physical notary;
How you are operating now—in terms of executing this; and
Any other argument that should convince the governor to grant our request.

Please respond to the survey by Wednesday, April 29.

Federal Report:

COVID-19

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate replenished the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) while adding additional funding dedicated to hospitals and COVID-19 testing. The $484 billion package dedicates $310 billion in additional lending authority for the PPP, with funds set aside to support loans issued by smaller lenders, $60 billion for separate disaster loans to small businesses, $75 billion for hospitals, and $25 billion for virus testing. The House is expected to consider and approve the measure today (Thursday).

While the PPP went into effect on April 3 through Phase 3 of the stimulus package, all those funds were exhausted within two weeks. Even though this is technically the fourth stimulus package in response to COVID-19, it is being described as an “interim” step, as congressional leaders and the administration begin to negotiate the next stimulus package they refer to as “phase four.”

Phase Four may include funding for state and local governments, the U.S. postal service, infrastructure projects dedicated to surface transportation, expanding access to rural broadband service, and election security. In an attempt to address the issue to allow members to vote remotely, Speaker Pelosi and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy are forming a separate bipartisan group of House members.

To stay up to date on NASBP's efforts through the COVID-19 pandemic, please follow along here .

State Report

Here are a few points of note since the global outbreak of coronavirus:

By March 16, 2020, every state and territory, including the District of Columbia, had made a State of Emergecy or Public Health Emergency declaration.
Over 120 bills have been introduced in 40 state legislatures, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia on paid sick leave and worker protections as well as appropriations requests.
Over 295 executive actions have been issued in 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands related to declarations of states of emergency, school closures, prohibition of mass gatherings, retail and business closures and restrictions, and stay at home orders. Over 960 executive actions have been issued in total.
Over 20 state task forces have been established by 12 governors.
Over 30 states and the District of Columbia have issued emergency COVID-19 regulations on a number of issues, including (but not limited to) health insurance carriers, labor and wage, and medical licensure.
Seventy-one (71) legislative chambers have either temporarily adjourned, moved to virtual meetings, or announced an early recess or sine die.

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) has compiled a list dated March 27 detailing state departments of transportation responses to COVID-19. This information was obtained through AGC state chapters. Additionally, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has put together a comprehensive guide to state action on COVID-19.

NASBP will continue to furnish updated information as it becomes available.

Have you provided your written authorization for 2020 for SuretyPAC? If not, click below!

Surety PAC

Have you been asked to conduct a bonding awareness seminar? If so, download the Bonding Awareness Toolkit!

Toolkit

The National Association of Surety Bond Producers

www.nasbp.org

Focal Point is an e-bulletin sent to members and friends of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers when most state legislatures are in session and as needed thereafter. To obtain copies of Bills or other materials discussed above, contact [email protected] . Copyright © 2020. NASBP. All rights reserved.