Legislative Updates – June 8, 2021
By: Birch

 

Arkansas

City of Fayetteville

On June 1, 2021, the City Council voted to allow individuals to go without a mask when indoors.

 

California

Business Operations

On June 3, 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom extended relief measures that permit restaurants and bars to continue to benefit from their investments to expand outdoor operations in areas such as sidewalks and parking lots, and to continue the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages with food deliveries. In addition, the Administration is urging local governments to facilitate outdoor dining through local zoning and programs that support and promote expanded open-air, take-out and delivery options.

Safety Precautions

On June 3, 2021, Cal/OSHA passed rules requiring masks to be worn in workplaces where not all employees are fully vaccinated beyond the date the in which the State has announced as the end of its mask mandate.

City of Costa Mesa

On June 1, 2021, the City Council voted to rescind its mask mandate.

City of Sacramento

On June 2, 2021, the City Council approved an ordinance requiring low-rise buildings to be built with electronic appliances by 2023. High-rise (Over 4 floors) buildings are mandated to go electric in 2026.

City of Oxnard

On July 1, 2021, the City Council approved a $2.5 million gratitude program for grocery store workers.

 

Colorado

Food Delivery Services

On June 4, 2021, Gov. Jared Polis signed CO S.B. 21-035 preventing third-party delivery services from taking, arranging or picking up of an order from a retail food establishment without established consent.

Discrimination

Effective September 11, 2021, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) is amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression. Gender identity is defined as an individual’s innate sense of gender, which may or may not correspond with the individual’s sex assigned at birth. Gender expression is defined as an individual’s way of reflecting and expressing gender to the outside world, typically demonstrated through appearance, dress and behavior. CO H.B. 21-1108

City of Aspen

On June 1, 2021, the City Council voted to end its mask requirement.

Pitkin County

On June 3, 2021, the County Board voted to end its mask mandate and align with state and federal guidance.

 

Connecticut

Youth Employment

On June 3, 2021, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that additional youths this year will be able to benefit from the expansion of the Connecticut Youth Employment Program, which provides year-round employment opportunities for youths across Connecticut with community-based agencies.

 

Florida

Sales Tax

On May 21, 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed FL H.B. 7061 creating “Freedom Week” a seven-day sales tax holiday on outdoor recreational purchases, as well as tickets for events museums and the arts. In addition the legislation provides a holiday for back to school items from July 31, 2021 through August 9, 2021.

Orange County

On June 4, 2021, County Mayor Jerry Demings rescinded the local state of emergency.

 

Georgia

City of Savannah

On June 1, 2021, Mayor Van Johnson announced that the City’s mask mandate was now a mask advisory.

 

Hawaii

Travel Restrictions

On June 4, 2021, Gov. David Ige announced that June 15, 2021 will be the end of the restriction on inter-county travel including quarantines and testing.

 

Illinois

Safety Precautions

On June 1, 2021, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that the State is scheduled to transition to Phase 5 of its reopening plan on June 11, 2021.

Cook County

On June 7, 2021, the County announced that the minimum wage will remain at $13.00 per hour and $6.60 per hour for tipped employees.

 

Louisiana

Income Tax

On June 6, 2021, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed LA Act 54-S.B. 11 providing an individual and corporation income tax exemption for state and federal COVID-19 relief benefits that includes loans, grants, rebates, tax credits, advance refunds, or other qualified disaster relief benefits.

 

Maine

Terminated Employees

On May 25, 2021, Gov. Janet Mills signed H.P. 480 requiring insurers to provide forms to group policyholders, and certificate holders for the purpose of informing terminating group members of their right to purchase any individual health plan available in the State.

Prescription Drugs

On May 25, 2021, Gov. Janet Mills signed S.P. 207 requiring prescription drug and prior authorization standards used by a carrier to be clear and readily available to enrollees, participating providers, pharmacists and other providers.

Worker Absence

On May 25, 2021, Gov. Janet Mills signed H.P. 93. Employers receiving notice of an employee’s status as a firefighter or emergency medical services person  may designate the employee essential to the employer’s operations when the absence of the employee would cause significant disruption of the employer’s business. This designation must be made in writing and signed by both the employee and employer.

 

Maryland

Unemployment Benefits

On June 1, 2021, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that the State will discontinue the enhanced pandemic federal unemployment benefits and reinstate work search requirements.

Anne Arundel County

On June 3, 2021, County Executive Steuart Pittman signed an order making Juneteenth a holiday.

City of Baltimore

On June 4, 2021, Mayor Brandon Scott announced that the City’s mask requirement would remain in place until 65% of residents have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Massachusetts

Paid Sick Leave

On May 28, 2021, Gov. Charlie Baker signed legislation that provides full time workers with up to forty hours of paid sick leave through September 30, 2021 due to COVID-19 related conditions.

 

Michigan

June 3, 2021, – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the launch of the Michigan Economic Jumpstart Plan, to benefit workers and small businesses. Under the Governor’s plan, the State will increase incentives to boost wages to attract applicants, provide grants to small businesses to ramp up hiring, and expand access to childcare for families with young children who want to return to work but cannot.

 

Minnesota

City of Minneapolis

On June 1, 2021, Mayor Jacob Frey terminated the City’s mask mandate.

City of St. Paul

On June 1, 2021, Mayor Melvin Carter terminated the City’s mask mandate.

 

Missouri

State Health Coverage

On May 13, 2021 the Department of Social Services (DSS) submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) formally withdrawing its State Plan Amendments (SPAs) for MO HealthNet expansion.

 

Montana

ARPA Support

On June 2, 2021, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced the launch of a website and call center for the state’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program. The site and call center bring information on funding projects and grants under the purview of Montana’s four ARPA commissions: water and sewer, communications, economic stabilization and workforce development, and health and human services. https://arpa.mt.gov.

 

Nevada

Tax Exemption

On May 31, 2021, Gov. Steve Sisolak signed NV S.B. 440 creating a temporary tax holiday for certain members of the military.

Hiring Practices

On May 31, 2021, Gov. Steve Sisolak signed NV S.B. 8386 requiring gaming and tourism employers to offer certain job positions to a laid-off employees under certain circumstances.

Workforce Training

On May 31, 2021, Gov. Steve Sisolak signed NV A.B 450 designed to help align workforce training and programs offered by community colleges in the State, to ensure that individuals are trained and ready for jobs of the future.

 

New Jersey

Safety Precautions

On June 4, 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy issued an executive order terminating the state’s public health emergency.

 

New Mexico

Safety Precautions

On June 2, 2021, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that all counties were now in the State’s least restrictive level of its reopening plan.

Bernalillo County

On June 4, 2021, County Manager Julie Morgas Baca announced that it will re-establish its plastic bag and foam container ban effective July 1, 2021.

 

Oregon

Non-Compete

On May 21, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed OR S.B. 169 altering the state’s existing non-compete statutes. Moving forward; the maximum post-employment restricted period is 12 months and the required minimum compensation amount will be adjusted annually for inflation.

Safety Precautions

On June 4, 2021, Gov. Kate Brown announced that the State’s mask requirement and capacity limits will be ended when 70% of individuals have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Pennsylvania

City of Philadelphia

On June 2, 2021, the City ended its capacity limits and distancing rules but kept its indoor mask requirement in place. In addition, restaurants are still required to close at 11:00 p.m.

 

Rhode Island

Safety Precautions

On June 1, 2021, Gov. Dan McKee announced that vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals will no longer be required to wear masks outdoors in Rhode Island.

 

South Carolina

Safety Precautions

On June 7, 2021, Gov. Henry McMaster permitted the state of emergency to terminate effective immediately.

 

Vermont

Grants

On June 3, 2021, Gov. Phil Scott announced the launch of the Economic Recovery Bridge Program, expected to deliver $30 million in financial relief to businesses who have not received state and federal funding due to eligibility constraints and to businesses who can show a continued loss of revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for additional information.

City of Burlington

Effective June 15, 2021, Mayor Miro Weinberger will rescind the City’s emergency order. In addition, fully vaccinated individuals in the City are no longer required to wear facial coverings in city buildings and retail stores.

 

Washington

Kings County

On June 1, 2021, the City Council voted to prohibit the use of facial recognition software by law enforcement. The ban does not affect companies.

 

Wisconsin

Grants

On May 27, 2021, Gov. Tony Evers announced the availability of grants through the Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant Program, providing up to $420 million in $5,000 grants to as many as 84,000 Wisconsin small businesses affected by COVID-19.