May 20, 2020

Session:

Capitol Building

Room 417

Juneau, AK 99801

(907) 465-4930

Interim:

1500 W Benson Blvd.

Room 328

Anchorage AK 99503

(907) 269-0174

Alaska's Recovery

Dear friends and neighbors,

It's been a stressful road in moving ahead to recovery from this pandemic. Thank you all for staying safe and doing your part in slowing the spread of Covid-19.

Today, May 20th, the Alaska Legislature finalized the vote to provide over $1 billion to Alaska communities, small businesses, K-12 schools, fisheries, airports and more from the Federal Coronovirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

HB 313 passed the Senate 19-1 and the House 38-1, for a combined vote of 57-2.

The Bill is now on the way to Governor Dunleavy to be signed into law.

The Bill has an immediate effective date and is retroactive to May 1, 2020.

House Bill 313 ratifies spending proposals requested by Governor Mike Dunleavy and passed by the Legislative Budget & Audit Committee earlier this month through the Revised Program Legislative (RPL) process, including:

$568.6 million for community assistance;
$290 million in grants for small businesses;
$51.6 million for statewide aviation, rural airports and the Whittier Tunnel;
$50 million in grants for the fishing industry;
$45 million for K-12 education;
$42 million for child nutrition programs;
$29 million for rural transportation costs, including the Alaska Marine Highway System;
$10 million for homeless assistance;
$5 million for University of Alaska and its students; and
$3.6 million for state and local law enforcement.

COVID-19 Restrictions Slowly Lifted

Effective Friday May 22, 2020 Alaska is open for business: - All businesses can open - All houses of worship can open - Libraries and museums can open - All recreational activities can open - All sports activities can open.

It's the responsibility of individuals, businesses, and organizations to minimize the spread of COVID-19. You are encouraged to follow local, state, national, and industry guidelines on ways to conduct business and activities safely.

Exceptions/restrictions/closures:

All senior centers, prisons, and institutions will continue to have restricted access. Any proposed large public gatherings such as festivals and concerts need to consult first with public health before scheduling. The State will continue to work with large industries to protect their workforce and the communities in which they operate. Communities may still elect to keep in place travel restrictions. Some Alaskan communities may wish to extend restrictions on non-essential travel into their communities for health reasons. Check with your local community.

Health Mandates 15 (Elective Medical/Dental), 17 (Commercial Fishing), and 18 (Intrastate Travel) remain in effect.

Governor Dunleavy extended the health mandate governing international and interstate travel remains in place and will be re-evaluated June 2nd.

All visitors to Alaska are required to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.
Travelers are required to sign a form with their contact information and the address where they will self-quarantine.
Violators are subject to a $25,000 fine or jail time.

The social distancing requirements in Alaska have been extended until further notice.

Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) is a national, non-profit, patient-led organization, representing individuals with End State Renal Disease (ESRD) patients, or kidney failure.

They are working to improve the quality of life for all ESRD patients, defined as patients who are either on dialysis or have received a kidney transplant, through education and advocacy.

With approximately 911 ESRD patients in Alaska, DCP is reaching out to let you know what is being done to keep patients and their families well-informed and to support them during the coronavirus pandemic.

Over the past several weeks, DPC has been communicating with ESRD patients and their families, as well as governmental agencies and coalition partners, to expand on the importance of taking extra precautions during Covid.

Below are some resources that were specifically for dialysis patients:

COVID-19 Resources for Dialysis Patients: DPC’s Education Center webpage factsheet provides a list of state and federal resources and weblinks for patients looking for information about disability, financial assistance, nutrition, healthcare, housing and utilities, jobs, transportation, women and children, daily living, and staying safe.

Coronavirus Disease 2019: Keeping Patients on Dialysis Safe: This informational handout from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is for patients on dialysis to learn more about what COVID-19 means for their daily activities and their dialysis treatments.

How our facility is keeping patients safe from COVID-19: This CDC handout is for dialysis facilities to share with patients and caregivers to explain how they are preparing for the possible arrival of patients with COVID-19.

Paycheck Protection Program

The program to help small businesses across the country has been recapitalized with another $310 billion. (The bill was signed in April)

The initial funding of $342 billion was used up in 13 days.
Nationally, 1.66 million loans were issued totaling $342 billion.
Only 20% of small businesses that applied were given loans.
Forbes is reporting that construction businesses got $45 billion in loans before the program was halted. (Most states did not halt construction projects)
The CARES Act, which authorized the Paycheck Protection Program, did not include a requirement for recipients to be “directly or dramatically impacted by the lockdowns.”
The daily newsletter “Popular Information” reports that 32 publicly traded companies that pay their CEOs $1 million or more received funding through the program.

In Round 1, Alaska businesses received $922 million in loans.

Over 4,800 loans have been approved.
The average loan was $190,000.

In Round 2, Alaska businesses received 3,920 loans totaling $339 million.

Details of the Paycheck Protection Program.

Loans up to $10 million.
The goal is to keep employees on the payroll.
Loans are available through June 30. (100% federally guaranteed)
Employers will have their loans forgiven if they maintain employment for eight weeks after the start of the loan. (Rehire employees by June 30)
Job retention loans are available to cover eight weeks of payroll.
The program is run by the Small Business Administration.
The loans can be applied for at most banks and credit unions.
All loan payments will be deferred for six months.
The loan program is retroactive to February 14th to allow employers to rehire laid-off employees.
A rule change allows seasonal businesses to choose a 12-week period that best represents their operating payroll when applying for a loan.
Small businesses are defined as those that employ fewer than 500 people. (Includes 501(c)3 and religious organizations)
More information is available at SBA.gov/Coronavirus.

Alaska Alzheimer's Resources

There are 33,000 Alaskans who care for a loved one with dementia and over 8,000 Alaskans with Alzheimer’s - that does not include all Alaskans with other forms of dementia.

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health of Alaskans caregiving for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. We would like to offer our support to families who are isolating with a loved one with dementia and their safety.

Caring for a loved one during these times causes added stress for caregivers.

While, dementia likely does not increase risk for COVID-19, dementia-related behavioral changes, advanced age and common health conditions that often accompany dementia may increase risk of contracting COVID-19.

Alzheimer's Association toll free Helpline 1-800-272-3900

Our Helpline provides confidential, free support to Alaskans from licensed specialists and Master-level clinicians.
The Helpline provides support 24/7 365 days a year to Alaskans who need assistance with safety-proofing their homes for elders, information on gun safety in households with dementia, crisis support in times of unpredictable behavior and personality changes, and over a hundred other issues.