SD 11 SREC: September Update from State Representative Dennis Paul

Governor Abbott Issues New Executive Orders Expanding Capacity for Certain Services in Texas

Governor Abbott today issued Executive Orders GA-30 and GA-31 relating to COVID-19. Below you will find more information on each.

REOPENING EXECUTIVE ORDER (GA-30)

Effective 12:01 AM Monday, September 21

This executive order adds to the prior orders on reopening, which generally allowed all businesses to open to 50% occupancy but closed bars and river rafting operations.

Counties in trauma service areas with high hospitalizations remain at 50%, just like under the existing executive order. The following businesses in other counties may increase occupancy to 75%:

Restaurants
Gyms and exercise facilities and classes
Manufacturers that are not CISA
Museums and libraries
Office buildings
Retailers that are not CISA

Trauma Service Areas with high hospitalizations are those that have had COVID-19 hospitalizations in excess of 15% of all hospitalizations for 7 consecutive days. If a TSA had high hospitalizations, but then has 7 consecutive days of less than 15% COVID-19 hospitalizations, it is no longer a high hospitalization TSA. Currently, three TSAs are high hospitalization: Laredo, Lower RGV, and Victoria.

HOSPITALIZATION EXECUTIVE ORDER (GA-31)

Effective immediately

A previous executive order limited hospitals in certain TSAs from providing elective procedures, except under limited circumstances. This executive order rolls back those limitations to only the TSAs with high hospitalizations (see above).

A previous executive order required all hospitals to reserve 15% of the hospital’s capacity for COVID-19 patients. This executive order reduces that percentage to 10%. It also allows hospital systems to manage the reserve capacity across the system, instead of mandating the amount per hospital.

LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES VISITATION

Effective September 24

All nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities, including SSLCs and inpatient hospice, and home and community based services homes, without an active COVID outbreak will be authorized to offer non-touch visitation, either outside, through windows, or in designated rooms with plexi-glass partitions.

Under the new rules, residents will be allowed to designate up to two essential family caregivers who will be provided necessary training to allow them to safely go inside a facility for a scheduled visit, including in the resident’s room, to help ensure their loved one’s physical, social and emotional needs are being met. Designated caregivers will not be required to maintain physical distancing, but only one caregiver can visit a resident at a time.

Facilities will also be authorized to allow barbers and hairdressers to enter the facility to provide personal services to residents.

HHSC will post rules this week to clarify the health and safety requirements to allow these visitations.

Full Text of GA -30

Full Text of GA -31

DPS Adds Saturday Appointments at Select Driver License Offices for September; Including Southeast Houston Location on Hwy 3

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has added additional Saturday appointment availability at select driver license (DL) offices for customers needing to renew or replace their Texas DL or ID cards. Participating DL offices will offer a limited number of appointments on Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 to help Texans handle these specific transactions. The offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nearly 700,000 Texas DL/ID cards expired while DL offices were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By offering Saturday service for renewal and replacement appointments only, DPS is working to provide customers with expired cards an additional option to handle their DL transactions. The department anticipates adding more Saturday appointments in the coming months.

Scheduling an appointment

As a reminder, DPS launched an appointment solution in May, and all services at DL offices are now conducted by appointment only. DPS moved to appointments only as part of our efforts to provide additional convenience, reducing the time Texans spend waiting in line. Customers can now book appointments for a specific day and time up to six months in advance. To schedule an appointment or check availability, visit the online appointment scheduler.

Upon arrival at the DL office, customers can check-in using the kiosk inside the office or from their mobile device. Customers can only check-in up to 30 minutes prior to their appointment time. Due to social distancing requirements related to COVID-19, we ask that customers who arrive more than 30 minutes in advance of their appointment wait in their vehicle until it is time to check-in. DL offices have implemented additional protocols to ensure a safe environment for customers; read about these measures here.

Extension Remains in Place

It’s important to remember that the extension for expiration dates that was granted in response to COVID-19 remains in effect. The extension means that if your Texas ID, DL, commercial driver license or election identification certificate card expires on or after March 13, 2020, it falls under the period covered by the State of Disaster Declaration related to COVID-19 and will remain valid for 60 days after which time DPS issues a public notice that the extension period for the disaster declaration has been lifted. At this time, this 60-day notice has not been issued, and Texans still have time to conduct their renewal transactions.

DSHS and TEA launch webpage with COVID-19 case data reported by Texas public schools

Reported cases represent less than half-a-percent of students who have returned to campus

In collaboration with the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Department of State Health Services today posted on the DSHS website the statewide number of cases of COVID-19 reported by Texas public schools. The reported count of on-campus student cases of COVID-19 in the state’s public schools is 2,344 out of an estimated 1.1 million students who have been on campus for instruction or activities since the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. The total count of on-campus staff cases during the same period is 2,175.

The number of student and staff COVID-19 cases in Texas public schools will be updated each Wednesday. Beginning Sept. 23, it will include data by school district. TEA will link to the data from TEA’s COVID-19 website.

TEA previously directed all school districts to submit information about COVID-19 cases going back to the start of the school year. Information is submitted via an online form each Monday by those school systems that were notified in the previous week that a student, teacher, or staff member who participates in any on-campus activity has tested positive for a current COVID-19 infection. Antibody tests, which indicate a previous infection, are not required to be reported.

The data will provide an overview of the burden of disease in Texas schools over time and inform public policy decisions about COVID-19. School districts and other local authorities will continue to be the best source of the most current and specific information about cases in their schools.

Reporting this information to the state does not replace the legal requirement that schools notify public health officials in their area of all cases. Additionally, as per TEA guidance, schools will still be required to inform all parents, teachers, and campus staff of any positive cases tied to their on-campus instruction or activities.

COVID-19 Update

For information related to Texas' response to Covid-19 please click here.
If you have a specific question, or need personal assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office. You can find the contact information at the bottom of this email.

Need Help with the Workforce Commission?

Since the week ending March 14th, the Texas Workforce Commission has taken over 4.9 million claims for Unemployment Insurance benefits and paid $30.1 billion in Unemployment Insurance benefits to Texans affected by COVID-19.

My office has been working every day to help constituents resolve their unemployment claim issues. I know these have been extremely challenging times for Texas families, and I want to make sure that everyone gets the proper help they need.

If you need assistance please contact my office and my staff will be happy to assist you in whatever way they can.

Contact information for both my Capitol and District offices is at the bottom of this email.

Around the District

Over the past month I have spoken to multiple groups across the district about what to expect in the upcoming legislative session. I look forward to speaking to even more of you as the session approaches!

I had the privilege of attending the Gulf Coast Industry Forum and got to hear from the Director of the U.S. National Economic Council Larry Kudlow.

I also attended the Pearland Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon. We heard about transportation issues affecting the area.

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending Anchor Point's virtual Gala. Anchor Point is a wonderful organization that champions the future of children through empowering & educating their parents because no one is beyond hope.

Eye on the Gulf

Yesterday, the National Hurricane Center Announced that Tropical Depression 22 has formed in the Southern Gulf of Mexico. Though the track remains uncertain, it is a slow moving storm with the potential to produce large amounts of rainfall.

As always during Hurricane season, pay attention to weather reports and make sure you have a hurricane plan for you and your family.