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John --
Welcome to our latest update from my home, where I am typing this and, for the most part, sheltering in place. For those of you reading this, I hope that you are holding up well. Since my last update last Monday, the state House finally approved our bipartisan budget deal, and the governor has signed it into law. We are now officially on recess until Monday, April 13th, or two weeks from now. That date may be moved up, or pushed back, but for the time being, we are working from home, and communicating with staff and constituents through email, phone, and video conferencing. I have received hundreds of emails over the last week asking about a potential shelter in place order. That decision can only be made by the governor, not the legislature. While I would support such an order (and think it should have been in place by now), that is the governor’s decision. Please know that we have been urging the governor, both publicly and privately, to make such an order. Given the increasing number of positive tests throughout the state, I sincerely hope he will do the right thing in the next couple of days and declare a shelter in place order for the entire state. Governor Ducey and Superintendent Hoffman also announced this morning that all K-12 district and charter schools will be closed through the end of the 2019-20 school year. This move had been expected, but it’s important to make this announcement now so that parents, teachers, and schools can better prepare. One of the bills we passed at the legislature before we adjourned provided additional clarity for school districts, and assured that school employees would continue to get paid through the end of the school year. The state has also launched an important resource that compiles together a lot of relevant information about resources for individuals and businesses. The site is called Arizona Together, and you can access it here: https://arizonatogether.org/ On that site, you can apply for unemployment benefits, find job openings, food banks, help with utilities, mental health resources, and much more. For those of you asking how you can help, the most critical thing right now is to protect those around you and stay home as much as possible. Wash your hands frequently for at least twenty seconds, avoid groups of more than 5-10 people whenever possible, and limit any trips outside to necessary visits, like the grocery store. As of this morning, as I type this, there are over 1,100 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including nearly 700 in Maricopa County only. Statewide, there have been 20 deaths. In order to combat this crisis, staying home as much as possible, and taking careful, cautious actions to protect public health, are paramount. A couple more news items you may have missed that I think are important: Governor Ducey recently signed legislation that we approved earlier this month to expand access to unemployment benefits. You can read more details here: https://azgovernor.gov/governor/news/2020/03/governor-ducey-signs-legislation-expand-access-unemployment-benefits More information on HB 2910, the bipartisan legislation we passed earlier this month to support schools, teachers, and families by providing additional clarity about end of year procedures for schools due to the crisis: One of the most important executive orders issued last week had to do with eviction protections for renters. It will remain in effect for 120 days, and provide critical relief and peace for mind for those struggling to make rent. More details here: Here are some additional resources that could be helpful: Arizona Department of Health Services - includes state related information about the illness and where to get a test: Hotline number: 1-844-542-8201 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - federal information on the COVID-19 crisis: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html AZ Department of Economic Security (DES) Services – DES has set up a specific COVID-19 page with information and phone numbers: https://des.az.gov/services/coronavirus Health-e-Arizona PLUS – Online application for nutrition assistance (food stamps), Medicaid (AHCCCS) and cash assistance: https://www.healthearizonaplus.gov/Default/Default.aspx# Telephone assistance for the application - 1-855-432-7587 Arizona 211 – Arizona 211 has compiled a great list of resources in one place. Individuals can either call 211 from their phone or browse their website: https://211arizona.org/ Community Action Agencies (CAA) – CAAs offer a wide variety of services including rental assistance and general casework: https://des.az.gov/services/basic-need/community-action-agencies The Senior Help Line – The Senior Help Line is the top resource for Arizona’s seniors and elderly. The hotline operates 24/7 and has a great library of resources to pull from: https://www.aaaphx.org/program-services/24-hour-senior-help-line/ 24/7 Hotline Number - 602-264-4357 Food banks – This is a directory of food banks provided through the Arizona Food Bank Network: http://www.azfoodbanks.org/index.php/foodbank/ Many utilities are offering assistance with bills including delayed shut offs for people who can’t afford to pay. You will need to call each specific company and inquire about what may be available to assist you. SRP - https://www.srpnet.com/about/customer-assistance.aspx APS - https://www.aps.com/en/About/Our-Company/Our-Commitment-to-Safety/COVID-19 The Arizona Department of Housing offers limited eviction assistance in certain zip codes, please refer to this website for further information: https://housing.az.gov/general-public/eviction-prevention-assistance Arizona landlord/tenant program – The landlord tenant program is provided through the City of Phoenix: https://www.phoenix.gov/nsd/programs/landlord-tenant-counseling Small businesses in need of help – The Arizona Commerce Authority has set up a webpage with business specific resources. https://www.azcommerce.com/covid-19/ In conclusion, I hope these resources are helpful for all of you during this extremely difficult and challenging time. It’s safe to say that we have never encountered such a crisis as this one, and please know that I am doing everything I can to be helpful for you and all of my constituents. Please continue to email and call if you need assistance, and we will do our best to get you in touch with the resources you need. We are all in this together. My best to you and your families, and please do not hesitate to reach out if I can be helpful in any way. Sean |
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Sean Bowie for State Senate · PO Box 50802, Phoenix, AZ
85076, United States
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