Governor Lee signs executive order to bolster response to COVID-19
Before the Tennessee General Assembly adjourned, Governor Lee signed Executive Order 15 to relieve regulatory burdens and free up the Executive Branch to more effectively respond to COVID-19 in Tennessee. The purpose of the order is to boost Tennessee’s health care capacity, continue important consumer protections and provide enhanced customer service to our citizens during this pandemic.
To boost health care capacity, the executive
order further deregulates hospital beds. Some hospital beds in the system are
not available for use in their current capacity for COVID-19. There are
currently 15,000 licensed, unused beds within Tennessee’s hospital capacity.
The order also deregulates scope of practice, allowing more health care professionals
to treat patients. It also expands the number of providers who are eligible to
work in Tennessee through the use of technology and telehealth. In addition, it
loosens HIPPA regulations so COVID-19 patients can utilize alternative
technologies such as FaceTime to communicate with a health care provider. It
expands the number of providers who are eligible to provide telehealth services
by loosening regulations around technology and geographic area and urges
insurers to provide coverage for COVID-19.
In order to provide customer service
to those seeking to renew their driver’s license, the Department of Safety is
waiving its requirement that citizens appear in person and have a new
photograph taken through October 1, 2021. This will allow many customers with
expiring credentials to renew online and not visit in person. In addition, all
driver licenses, learner permits, commercial driver licenses, photo
identification licenses, and handgun carry permits that would expire between
March 12, 2020, and May 19, 2020, will be extended for six months from the
original expiration date. Gov. Lee asked the federal government to delay the
October 1st deadline to acquire a Real ID and they have extended that
implementation date until October 1, 2021. That decision from the federal
government is pending. To protect consumers, the executive order cracks down on
the price gouging of consumer foods and supplies.
Governor
Lee requested disaster loan assistance from the federal government for Tennessee’s
small businesses — Governor Bill Lee requested Economic Injury Disaster
Loan assistance from the U.S. Business Administration to help small businesses
across Tennessee suffering losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This
action will allow Tennessee’s small businesses and nonprofit organizations
suffering economic injury as a result of the virus to be eligible to apply for
disaster assistance of up to $2 million per applicant. The loans can be
used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable or other bills that can’t be
paid due to the disaster’s impact. Interest rates for the loans are 2.75
percent for nonprofit organization and 3.75 percent for small businesses.
Small businesses are the backbone of
Tennessee’s economy with more than 94 percent of the state’s private sector
businesses with 50 or fewer employees. Small businesses can find more
information about these efforts by
visiting www.SBA.gov<http://www.sba.gov/>. Additional information
can be found at https://tnecd.com/news/governor-lee-requests-economic-injury-disaster-loan-declaration-from-us-small-business-administration/.
The Department of Labor and Workforce Development has set up a COVID19 Response
and Resources guide to help employers and employees affected by the pandemic.
The website can be found at https://www.tn.gov/workforce/covid-19.html.
Medical supplies and protective
equipment — The report also stated the Department of Health is working in
conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Military and the Tennessee
Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) to aggressively pursue medical supplies and
personal protective equipment. The Lee Administration authorized the order of
an additional 570 ventilators to support Tennessee hospitals that may need
additional capacity. They are also working with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) to get supply kits that the federal government is
making available. The governor also expects to receive additional surgical-type
grade masks used in industrial settings as a result of the Trump
administration’s efforts to loosen regulations. Finally, information about
tornado relief is on the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s website and
the governor’s website. Those resources can be found at https://www.tn.gov/tema/get-involved/flooding-and-severe-weather-response.html.
