SD 11 SREC: COVID 19 update from State Rep. Dennis Paul

Last Friday our state began the process of safely reopening portions of the economy. Throughout this pandemic my staff and I have been working hard to get information out to you, the constituents of House District 129. I have been the virtual guest speaker at both the Bay Area Rotary and the Seabrook Rotary, as well as participating in many state and local zoom meetings and conference calls. Further my staff has been busy helping many constituents who have unfortunately had to file for unemployment during this time.

As the State continues the process of opening I will continue to share with you information about recovery and access to state and federal benefits as well as information that I think will be useful to you.

As always, if I can ever be of assistance please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Contact information is located at the bottom of this newsletter.

God Bless,

Dennis Paul

Governor Abbott Expands Business Openings In Texas, Announces Surge Response Teams To Combat COVID-19

Governor Greg Abbott today held a press conference where announced that he will be issuing an Executive Order to expand openings of certain businesses and activities. The Governor also announced new guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on graduation ceremonies and the creation of Surge Response Teams to combat any COVID-19 flare ups in Texas.

"Texas is in a position to continue opening parts of our economy because of the efforts and determination of the people of Texas," said Governor Abbott. "Over the past month, Texans have worked together to contain the spread of COVID-19 by following social distancing practices and staying at home whenever possible. As we move forward, I urge all Texans to continue following these social distancing guidelines and the health standards we have provided. With every Texan doing their part, we will contain COVID-19, we will unleash our entrepreneurs, and we will make it through this challenge together."

The Governor was joined for the press conference by Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD, Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd, Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) Acting Executive Commissioner Phil Wilson, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Adjutant General of Texas Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris.

Per the Governor’s announcement, wedding venues and services required to conduct weddings may immediately open. Weddings held indoors other than at a church, congregation, or house of worship must limit occupancy to 25%. Wedding reception services may also resume, but facilities must limit their occupancy to 25% of the total listed occupancy. These occupancy limits do not apply to the outdoor areas of a wedding reception or to outdoor wedding receptions.

Beginning May 8, cosmetology salons, hair salons, barber shops, nail salons and shops, and other establishments where licensed cosmetologists or barbers practice their trade, may open, but all such salons, shops, and establishments must ensure at least six feet of social distancing between operating work stations. Tanning salons may also reopen under the same limitation. Also starting May 8, swimming pools may open subject to certain limitations, including on their occupancy or operating levels.

Beginning May 18, office buildings may open with the greater of five or less individuals or 25% of the total office workforce. These individuals must maintain appropriate social distancing. Gyms, exercise facilities, and exercise classes may also open on May 18, but must operate at 25% occupancy. Locker rooms and shower facilities will remain closed, but restrooms may open. Non-essential manufacturing services may also open on May 18 but facilities must limit their occupancy to 25%.

These newly opened services are subject to recommended minimum standard health protocols outlined by DSHS. These protocols will be available on the Open Texas webpage.

During the press conference, Chief Kidd and Commissioner Wilson provided details on the newly formed Surge Response Teams. These teams are led by TDEM and HHSC and include representatives from the the Texas Military Department, DSHS, the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, and BCFS Health and Human Services. Surge Response Teams will serve nursing homes, prisons, packing pants, and other facilities that experience flare ups of COVID-19 by providing personal protective equipment, testing supplies, onsite staffing, and assessment assistance. These teams will also work with local officials to establish health and social distancing standards to contain these flare ups. Several Surge Response Teams have already been deployed to locations across the state. Chief Kidd and Commissioner Wilson's presentation is available here.

TEA Commissioner Morath also provided new guidance on class of 2020 graduation ceremonies for Texas school districts. The TEA is providing four different pathways for schools to celebrate their graduating seniors, and each district is at liberty to determine if any of these options best serve the needs and desires of their community:

Completely virtual ceremonies that take place entirely online, with the use of videoconference or other technologies.
Hybrid ceremonies, which consist of a compilation of videos of students being recognized in person as they celebrate graduation in small groups.
Vehicle ceremonies, in which students and their families wait in their cars while other graduates are recognized one at time with their families alongside them.
Outdoor in-person ceremonies, which are currently permitted for counties as follows:
Between May 15 and May 31, an outdoor ceremony may take place in a rural county that has an attestation as described in the Governor’s Report to Open Texas that remains in effect 7 days prior to the ceremony.
An outdoor ceremony may take place in any Texas county on or after June 1.

Full details of the TEA's graduation ceremony guidance can be found on the TEA website.

View the Governor's Executive Order (GA-21) relating to the expanded reopening of services as part of the safe, strategic plan to Open Texas in response to the COVID-19 disaster.

HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT BEGINS $16.9 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION ON TWO DETENTION BASINS

The Harris County Flood Control District has begun construction to complete two 2018 Bond Program-funded stormwater detention basins in the Clear Creek watershed of south Harris County that together will provide safe storage for more than 566 million gallons of excess stormwater.

Construction started in mid-April on the final phase of the South Belt Stormwater Detention Basin, located on Mud Gully/Beamer Ditch (HCFCD Unit A120-00-00) near Beamer Road and South Fork Boulevard. Construction also has begun to construct the Dagg Stormwater Detention Basin on Clear Creek (HCFCD Unit A100-00-00) at Dagg Road near Christia V. Adair Park. Both basins are part of a $16.9 million construction contract awarded by Harris County Commissioners Court on January 28, 2020.

The work will excavate more than 1.1 million cubic yards of material from the South Belt basin (HCFCD Unit A520-03-00), and remove 50,000 cubic yards from a nearby Dixie Farm Road site where it had been mistakenly placed in the floodplain of Clear Creek nearly two years ago. The Flood Control District bought the Dixie Farm Road site earlier this year so that the inappropriate fill could be removed and the site could be investigated for additional stormwater detention benefits.

Pairing the two construction projects in one bid is intended to extend 2018 bond funding because, in this case, it is more financially efficient to do a larger project. Additionally, the Flood Control District will save approximately $22 million by using a portion of the South Belt excavated material as fill for the Dagg Road basin (HCFCD Unit A500-08-00), resulting in lower disposal costs and savings versus commercially acquired riprap fill. Safety considerations require filling in a 50-foot-deep portion of the water-filled pit at the Dagg Road basin. Doing so will not reduce the capacity of the Dagg Road basin to hold excess stormwater because the storage area is above the water level to the top of the basin’s banks.

The Dagg Road basin will include floating islands for stormwater treatment – a first for Harris County. The floating islands will be anchored to the floor of the basin and planted with specialty plant species whose root systems will help filter impurities. The Dagg Road basin will be part of a demonstration project to determine what types of islands can withstand floodwater fluctuations as well as provide effective stormwater quality treatment.

Both projects are expected to be complete in Spring 2022. They are separate from, but complement the Clear Creek Federal Flood Risk Management Project, which is now in design, by providing additional mitigation for planned channel conveyance improvements.

Texas Workforce Commission Issues Guidance to Unemployment Claimants

AUSTIN ⎯ The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is issuing guidance to unemployment claimants concerning their continued eligibility for unemployment benefits (UI) should they refuse rehire.

Each UI benefits case is currently evaluated on an individual basis. However, because of the COVID-19 emergency, the following are reasons benefits would be granted if the individual refused suitable work.

Reason for refusal:

At High Risk – People 65 years or older are at a higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 (Source DSHS website).
Household member at high risk – People 65 years or older are at a higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 (source DSHS website).
Diagnosed with COVID - the individual has tested positive for COVID-19 by a source authorized by the State of Texas and is not recovered.
Family member with COVID - anybody in the household has tested positive for COVID-19 by a source authorized by the State of Texas and is not recovered and 14 days have not yet passed.
Quarantined – individual is currently in 14-day quarantine due to close contact exposure to COVID-19.
Child care – Child’s school or daycare closed and no alternatives are available.

Any other situation will be subject to a case by case review by the Texas Workforce Commission based on individual circumstances.