CT Coronavirus Update: Child Care Changes, Service Plazas Closing

CONNECTICUT — The latest confirmed numbers of the new coronavirus in Connecticut are 2,571 positive tests, 36 deaths and 517 hospitalizations.

Gov. Ned Lamont issued his 18th executive order late Monday in the hopes of mitigating the spread of the virus. The new order addresses changes to child care.

Lamont also announced two highway service plazas will close and explained what the Connecticut National Guard is going to accomplish this week.

Here are the highlights of the executive order

Requirement of limited group sizes in childcare: The order requires all childcare facilities to limit group sizes to no more than 10 children in one space. Any facility caring for more than 30 children must obtain approval from the Office of Early Childhood and demonstrate sufficient separation of groups within the facility. This applies to all childcare facilities, including those that are exempt from licensing requirements.

Enhancement of health procedures for all operating childcare programs: The order requires all children and childcare staff to be checked at the entrance of childcare facilities for any observable illness, including cough or respiratory distress, and to confirm temperature below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. All staff must adhere to increased handwashing and health practices. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices shall be implemented. This applies to all childcare facilities, including those that are exempt from licensing requirements.

Authorization of remote notarization: The order eliminates all existing legal requirements to have a signature on any document witnessed by a third party, except in the case of a last will and testament. With respect to last wills and testaments, documents may now be witnessed remotely under the supervision of an attorney. In addition to removing witness requirements, any document required to be filed on the land records must contain a one-page certification, completed by a notary or commissioner of the Superior Court, reciting to the fact that the underlying document was executed pursuant to the executive order. The order also requires all town and city clerks to accept those documents for recording. (To sign up for free, local breaking news alerts from more than 100 Connecticut communities, click here.)

Department of Transportation closing 2 service plazas on Route 15

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has been working with service plaza operators to keep the plazas open as much as possible, with a priority on I-95, in order to serve trucks that are delivering needed supplies to the state. Service plazas on I-95 and I-395 remain open for truckers and essential motorists. Due to lack of demand, the rest areas on Route 15 in Orange and New Canaan have been closed effective today until further notice.

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide financial support for Lamont’s activation of the Connecticut National Guard

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today informed the Lamont administration that it will provide 100 percent reimbursement for the costs associated with activating the Connecticut National Guard to provide the state with support in its COVID-19 emergency response.

Lamont activated the Guard prior to the first confirmation of a positive case in the state. This is a state activation of the Guard, meaning that Lamont will continue to command Connecticut National Guard forces through Connecticut’s Adjutant General and Joint Staff.

To date the Connecticut Military Department and National Guard has:

Deployed two of Department of Public Health’s mobile field hospitals at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford and Danbury Hospital, with a third on the way at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown;

Provided climate-controlled tents to two VA hospitals in West Haven and Newington;

Used their Guardsmen that work for major logistics companies to begin managing a warehouse to receive and distribute essential supplies;

Distributed protective masks, gowns, and face shields to healthcare workers and first responders; and provided medical planners to work with the Department of Public Health to find ways to surge bed capacity and do predictive analysis on how many people the virus will affect.

This week they plan to:

Deploy the Federal Medical Station with a capacity of 250 beds;

Convert large spaces at Southern Connecticut State University, Western Connecticut State University, and Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport into medical surge capacity with approximately 300 beds at each site; and deploy the third Department of Public Health mobile field hospital at Middlesex Hospital.

Connecticut receives $5.4 million in federal funding under CARES Act for voting security and safety

Secretary of the State Denise Merill and the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation today announced that the State of Connecticut is receiving $5.4 million in federal funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that will be used to enhance the safety of in-person voting in polling places, expand vote at home mail-in voting, and protect the security and integrity of the election and the counting of ballots.

The CARES Act is providing $400 million to the states, appropriated based on population, to prepare for the impact of the coronavirus on the 2020 election cycle. The virus is forcing states to take new measures to protect the integrity of voting systems and access to the ballot box.

Earlier this month, Lamont signed an executive order using his emergency authority postponing Connecticut’s presidential primary from April 28 to June 2.

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Department of Revenue Services extends filing and payment deadlines for certain small businesses

At the direction of Lamont to provide Connecticut small businesses with immediate administrative tax relief in recognition of the impact of COVID-19, the Department of Revenue Services (DRS) today announced that it granting a two-month extension of filing and payment deadlines for certain small businesses.

“The state needs to be taking all steps possible to provide relief to our small businesses, and this is a prudent step during this public health emergency,” Lamont said.

Taxpayers that have $150,000 or less in annual sales tax liability qualify for an automatic extension of time to file and pay. Similarly, those that have $150,000 or less in annual room occupancy tax also qualify for this relief. Entities that collect both sales tax and room occupancy tax must evaluate each tax separately to determine eligibility for relief.

To determine if it is a qualified small business, entities are required to utilize a calendar year look back period of January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2019. Any taxpayer that reported $150,000 or less in tax during that period qualified for the relief.

Returns covered by this extension includes:

For monthly sales tax and room occupancy tax filers: Returns and payments due March 31, 2020, and April 30, 2020, are extended to May 31, 2020.

For quarterly sales tax and room occupancy tax filers: Returns and payments due April 30, 2020, are extended to May, 31, 2020.

“DRS acknowledges that small businesses may need additional time to access their records and consult with their tax preparer,” Acting Revenue Services Commissioner John Biello said. “Taxpayers who file and pay on or before the extended deadlines will not be subject to any penalties or interest.”

Public Health commissioner orders suspension of license renewals and payment of associated fees during pandemic

Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Renée D. Coleman-Mitchell today issued an order suspending the need for all DPH licensees to renew their licenses throughout the duration of the declared COVID-19 emergency. This applies to all licenses the agency administers, including those for health care facilities and practitioners.

Licensees will not be required to pay the fees associated with the renewals during this time but will be required to pay such fees retroactively when the period of license renewal suspension is over. All active licenses will remain active throughout the duration of the declared emergency.

This article originally appeared on the Westport Patch