May 29, 2020

Concord, NH - Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued Emergency Order #49 as part of the state's efforts to respond to COVID-19.

Emergency Order #49 : An order extending Emergency Order #40 (An order extending and modifying Emergency Order #17 (Closure of non-essential businesses and requiring Granite Staters to stay at home))

Portable Document Format (.pdf) . Visit nh.gov for a list of free .pdf readers for a variety of operating systems.

May 30, 2020

Governor Janet Mills has directed the Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC) to offer to purchase perishable and non-perishable food from restaurants in York, Cumberland and Androscoggin counties that are unable to open to indoor dining as a result of measures to protect public health and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Restaurants in these counites that had purchased food prior to the May 27 announcement delaying the full reopening of restaurants for dine-in services are encouraged to contact the MDOC about this opportunity.

The MDOC has capacity to purchase perishable and non-perishable food items, except for dairy, at a price equivalent to the price paid for the same items through MDOC’s food contract. Purchased food will be served to staff and inmates. Restaurants interested in selling to MDOC would need to be a registered vendor (PDF) with the State of Maine. Payments to vendors typically take two weeks.

“I hope this move will provide some measure of relief to businesses in these counties as we work to protect public health, keep Maine people healthy and alive, and mitigate the spread of this deadly virus so we can safely reopen,” said Governor Janet Mills. “At the direction of the Governor, the Department of Corrections stands ready to help businesses in York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin counties, which will in turn support our staff and inmates,” said Randall A. Liberty, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections. “We are honored to be of assistance.”

Interested restaurants are asked to contact the MDOC directly. Inquires may be directed to MDOC Associate Commissioner Karen Yeaton: DOCINFO@maine.gov by Friday, June 5 with the following information:

• Type of food you have available
• Quantity you would like to sell
• Dollar value of food

May 29, 2020

Governor Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey issued the following statements today in response to the U.S. Department of Justice seeking to undermine the health and safety of Maine people:

“Maintaining the 14-day quarantine, a proven tool to prevent the spread of this deadly disease, has never been about anything other than protecting the health and safety of Maine people at a time when millions are expected to flock to our state from COVID-19 hot-spots. I imagine it is for this same reason that so many other Governors have enacted similar measures,” said Governor Janet Mills. “My Administration has long said that we are working hard to find an alternative to that quarantine, and we are continuing that effort every day. I am deeply disappointed – and frankly disgusted – that the U.S Department of Justice is making a concerted effort to undermine the health of the people of Maine – objections they never raised when the President and his own task force took steps to limit travel. It seems to me that their only actual ‘interest’ here is, at best, political or, at worst, to harm Mainers, not defend them.”

“The Executive Orders and the Restarting Plan at issue in this lawsuit were carefully crafted and have been reviewed and updated in order to protect Mainers’ health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the requirement for individuals travelling into Maine from out of state to self-quarantine for 14 days (with exemptions for essential workers) was examined by my office, which determined it was a lawful requirement consistent with Maine’s public health challenges,” said Attorney General Aaron M. Frey.

May 28, 2020

Concord, NH – Today, Governor Chris Sununu sent two letters to the Trump Administration regarding federal funding to help New Hampshire respond to COVID19.

• Governor Chris Sununu letter to US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Eric Hargan regarding the funding formula to the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund .
• Governor Chris Sununu letter to President Donald Trump following up on the Governor's April 11 request for a 100% Federal cost share .

Portable Document Format (.pdf) . Visit nh.gov for a list of free .pdf readers for a variety of operating systems.

May 29, 2020

Governor Janet Mills today released a letter she sent last Friday to the Legislature’s Presiding Officers in response to their request for a “Re-Opening Task Force”. The complete text of the letter is below.

As of today, Maine has reopened its economy on par with or to a greater extent than most other New England states. No other New England state has opened restaurants for indoor dining while Maine has opened them for both indoor and outdoor dining in thirteen of its sixteen counties. Further, in the three counties with high daily case counts and community spread, restaurants may open on June 1st for outdoor dining with continued take-out and curbside pickup food service, but not for indoor dining which presents a higher level of risk.

The data and trends on which these decisions are based are on the Maine CDC website and are explained by Dr. Shah in his daily press briefing.

May 22, 2020

The Honorable Troy Jackson President of the Senate
3 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333

The Honorable Sara Gideon
Speaker of the House
2 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333

Dear President Jackson and Speaker Gideon:

I write today to respond to your request that I issue an executive order establishing a legislative advisory commission to make recommendations concerning the state’s public health response and several other matters regarding the COVID-19 emergency.

I believe this request follows what I consider to be a misimpression that our administration has not been responsive to or is not consulting the Legislature on matters of restarting Maine’s economy. As you know, I take seriously my responsibility as chief executive of the State of Maine to spearhead the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to take all reasonable and necessary steps to protect the health of the people of Maine and the health of the Maine economy. To that end, I have taken several steps, granted under authority unanimously provided by the Legislature, to protect our state.

Throughout this pandemic, our administration has strived to provide the Legislature, respecting its role as a coequal branch of government, with regular updates, and we have sought to keep open lines of communication. That is why, in part, I speak with not only you, but your Republican counterparts regularly and why I make my staff available to you as well. As you also know, we have fielded, and continue to field, hundreds of requests for information, suggestions on policies, and concerns over various matters every week from legislators and legislative staff, to which we strive to provide timely responses so that they, in tum, may serve their constituents. To further improve the distribution of information, my office has also been distributing weekly updates detailing the work of executive branch departments; those departments, in tum, are in frequent contact with legislators on committees familiar with their work. In addition, I have formed an Economic Recovery Committee, which includes well-known economists, labor and business experts and legislators, to examine the long-term impacts of the pandemic and make recommendations for policy measures for consideration by both the executive and the legislative branches.

I am not convinced that a formal commission, which you have requested be staffed, advised and informed by our already busy executive branch department heads and employees, would add anything to the robust flow of information and advice currently in place. As I have said repeatedly, the decisions this administration is making are made on the basis of fact, science and medical expertise, with survival of both the lives and the livelihoods of Maine people as our foremost goal. Every department of state government is fully invested in this effort, and we have not let up since day one. The success of our efforts is demonstrated by the low number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases compared to other states. We are working hard to make sure our numbers remain low over the coming weeks and months, continuously consulting with medical experts, stakeholders and others affected by the executive orders. This administration always welcomes positive suggestions to inform our response to the pandemic, and we will continue to respond to them from you and other members of the Legislature. But I cannot agree to create a commission I believe would only divert from the critical and time-sensitive work we are doing and inject an unnecessary layer of political partisanship into these very sensitive decisions.

Instead, I seek your advice and counsel on another equally pressing and important matter. As you are aware, the State of Maine has received through the Federal government an allocation of $1.25 billion in Federal funding that the U.S Treasury Department has said can only be spent on necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I have been pressing the Trump Administration and Congress to provide more direct support to state and local governments as well as added flexibility for the funding that has already been received. My administration is awaiting action from Congress to adjust some components of the CARES Act and provide flexibility in terms of the timing and the way the funding can be spent. I will then seek your input on how these funds should be spent. It is my understanding that the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee is considering meeting to consider this very question. I welcome the opportunity to have this important discussion.

In the meantime, I continue to respect the Legislature’s authority, and my administration will, as it has been, continue to hear your input and respond to your questions as, together, we seek to protect the health of Maine people and support our economic recovery.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Janet T. Mills Governor

May 29, 2020

Governor Janet Mills today signed an Executive Order that allows for the gradual easing of restrictions implemented under previous Executive Orders as the state continues to reopen under the Restarting Maine’s Economy plan. As of today, Maine has reopened its economy on par with or to a greater extent than most other New England states.

“It is my responsibility to protect the health and wellbeing of Maine people and to support our economy. Throughout this reopening process, I will continue to fight to strike that balance,” said Governor Mills. “This Executive Order allows for the gradual lifting of restrictions as we continue to reopen our economy. I continue to ask Maine people to stay home whenever possible, not only to protect themselves but to protect others as well, like our frontline workers. If and when you do go out, I urge you to stay local and shop local, to stay at least six feet apart from others, to wear a face covering, and, as always, to wash your hands and practice good hygiene. Staying vigilant will save lives and allow us to safely reopen our economy.”

To a large extent, the Executive Order signed today consolidates for clarity the major provisions of previous Executive Orders and adds to the face covering requirement. The following is an outline of the order:

Eases the restrictions on certain gatherings from 10 to 50 beginning June 1 consistent with the Restarting Plan.

1. Eases restrictions on eating establishments permitted to reopen and maintains restrictions on those not yet authorized to reopen consistent with the Restarting Plan.
2. Phases out the distinction between essential and non-essential businesses consistent with the implementation of the Restarting Plan.
3. Continues to require businesses to the extent practicable as determined by businesses to have their employees work remotely.
4. Continues but relaxes Maine’s “Stay Safer at Home” Order, which has Maine people stay-at-home with exceptions, allowing people to visit more businesses and participate in more activities as they reopen under the Restarting Plan.
5. Maintains previously established restrictions on use of public transportation, unless necessary for essential purposes, and continues to limit passengers in certain private vehicles.
6. Effective June 5th, requires places of business accessible to the public to post readily visible signs notifying customers of the requirement to wear cloth face coverings where physical distancing is not possible, as many already have, and allows them to deny entry or service to a person not wearing a covering or who is exempt from doing so.

The Order is effective May 31, 2020 and will remain in effect until rescinded.

May 28, 2020

Concord, NH – Today, Governor Chris Sununu established the Governor’s COVID-19 Equity Response Team to develop a recommended strategy and plan to address the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team, comprised of thought leaders in racial/ethnic disparities and health equity, will present recommendations within 30 days.

“Ensuring equity in our response to COVID-19 is a priority for the state,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “I would like to thank the members of the COVID-19 Equity Response Team for taking on this important charge and I look forward to their recommendations.”

The COVID-19 Equity Response Team members are as follows:

• Chair: Trinidad Tellez, MD, Director, Office of Health Equity, DHHS
• Bobbie Bagley, MS, MPH, RN, CPH, Director, Division of Public Health & Community Services, Nashua
• Kirsten Durzy, MPH, Equity Council lead, public health evaluation and narrative/storytelling expert, Division of Public Health Services, DHHS
• Rogers Johnson, President, Seacoast NAACP, Chair of Governors Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion
• Dottie Morris, PhD, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Keene State College

Advisory team members representing needed additional voices/perspectives, constituencies, academic disciplines, and areas of specific expertise will be engaged as needed.

Response Team’s charge and mission document 

Portable Document Format (.pdf) . Visit nh.gov for a list of free .pdf readers for a variety of operating systems.

May 28, 2020

Concord, NH - Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement after President Trump announced that he will extend the National Guard's Title 32 status:

“From PPE distribution to running testing sites, the men and women of our National Guard have helped the state respond to COVID-19 every step of the way,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “I commend the President for extending Title 32 status. This announcement will allow our National Guard to continue to provide critical services.”

 

Note: Governor Sununu wrote to President Trump earlier this week requesting an extension of the National Guard's Title 32 status.

May 27, 2020

Affirmation of Maine’s credit ratings come as other states see downgrades related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Governor Janet Mills and State Treasurer Henry Beck announced today that Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poors Global Ratings (S&P), providers of global credit benchmarks, have affirmed their credit ratings and outlooks on the State of Maine's general obligation debt. Moody's affirmed both their 'Aa2 rating and stable outlook on Maine's debt. S&P affirmed their AA rating and stable outlook. The affirmation of Maine’s ratings comes as S&P and Moody’s downgrade other states’ ratings as a result of the economic turmoil precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is welcome news and a validation of our Administration’s bipartisan work with the Legislature to enact responsible budgets and manage State government in a fiscally sound manner,” said Governor Janet Mills. “Difficult decisions lie ahead, but these stable ratings demonstrate that Maine is a worthy investment as we prepare to advance bonds to fix our roads and expand broadband in rural Maine.”

“Moody's and S&P affirming our stable credit rating during this economic crisis speaks to the strong fiscal management by Governor Mills and the Legislature,” said Treasurer Beck. “Seven states have seen downgrades recently, but not Maine. Bond rates have stabilized since March and yields for high grade 10-year bonds are near all-time lows. Funding these vital projects now makes sense for the market and for Maine.”

The Senate and House Chairs of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee (AFA) also issued the following statements in response:

“On the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, my colleagues and I have consistently drafted strong, bipartisan budgets and made responsible spending decisions to meet the needs of our state and build up our savings. Our efforts continue to pay off,” said Senator Cathy Breen, Senate Chair of AFA. “I’m pleased that the bond rating agencies recognize the work that we’ve all done to keep our fiscal house in order. As we approach the sale of infrastructure bonds in June, this rating will attract investment in our improvements in roads, bridges, and internet access, and it will promote job growth.”

“During these uncertain times, it is great to get some encouraging financial news,” said Representative Drew Gattine, House Chair of AFA. “These positive ratings will translate into favorable interest rates when Maine goes to market to fund highway and other infrastructure projects - including broadband for rural Maine, on the ballot this July. It is gratifying to see Maine achieve credit ratings that reflect the responsible stewardship that the Legislature, the State Treasurer and the Administration have worked in partnership to achieve.”

Reflecting on Maine's credit strengths, Moody's specifically identified Maine's adherence to governance best practices. S&P Global wrote they believe “Maine’s active budget management and good reserve profile will help the state to navigate through the economic uncertainty and stresses brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Under the Mills Administration, and with the bipartisan support of the Legislature, the Budget Stabilization Fund has grown by more than $50 million to a record high of nearly $258 million.

Treasurer Beck and members of the Executive Branch presented to Moody's and S&P via telephone on May 11. State Treasurer Henry Beck intends to conduct a bond sale funding projects totaling $141 million in June of 2020. Initiatives benefiting from the bond sale include highways, bridges, senior housing and weatherization, upgrades at the Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System among several other initiatives.

May 27, 2020

Administration restricts reopening of restaurants in Androscoggin, Cumberland and York Counties to outside service only

Governor Janet Mills today announced an update to her Administration’s plan to restart Maine’s economy as the state approaches the scheduled June 1 start date for Stage 2 of the plan.

The Mills Administration announced today that it is postponing the full reopening of restaurants for dine-in services in York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin counties. Restaurants in these counties were tentatively scheduled to reopen to dine-in services on June 1 (Stage 2) but are now restricted to reopening to outside dining service only beginning on that date in addition to continuing to provide take-away and delivery services. The decision to limit their reopening comes amidst an increase in hospitalizations as well as an increase in case counts in these three counties, both of which are metrics monitored by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC). A date for the reopening of dine-in services in these counties is yet to be determined.

“Given the trends we are seeing in certain parts of Maine, our Administration is revising the plan to align with what is in the best interest of public health. To that end, rather than permitting dine-in services in Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York Counties as we had originally planned, we will be allowing outside dining only with precautions, a move we believe is safer for the health of Maine people and that balances the economic needs of these businesses,” said Governor Mills.

In the wake of this change, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, which have licensing authority, are streamlining and expediting approval of licenses to facilitate outside-only dining.

Aside from this update, Stage 2 will move forward as planned. This means that on June 1 restaurants in Penobscot County will be allowed to voluntarily reopen for both indoor and outdoor dining services with strict health and safety precautions, joining the twelve other rural counties where such establishments have been permitted to reopen as part of the Governor’s rural reopening plan. Although Penobscot County has been identified as an area with community transmission, the decision to allow it to reopen as scheduled results in part because the county has not had more than three new cases a day since April.

Additionally, on June 1, retail businesses in York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, and Penobscot counties – counties where these businesses have been closed to indoor shopping – will also be permitted to voluntarily reopen, also with strict, sector-specific health and safety precautions. These businesses now join those in the other twelve counties permitted to reopen as part of the Governor’s rural reopening plan.

The Administration continues to closely review the status of gyms, fitness centers, and nail salons, the reopening of which were paused last week as a result of concerns about the transmission of the virus in these settings. View a complete outline of Stage 2 with COVID-19 Prevention Checklist guidance.

“We recognize this is an incredibly difficult time for the business community, and we will do all we can to work collaboratively to develop solutions that keep people safe and create opportunities for businesses,” said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. “We believe that is what we have done here, and we will continue to examine similar opportunities moving forward.”

Throughout the reopening process, Maine CDC has monitored epidemiological data, including case trends, hospitalization rates, and reports of COVID-like symptoms, as well as health care readiness and capacity. The Administration also continues to evaluate standards outlined in the Governor’s reopening vision statement, such as testing capacity and the State’s ability to conduct contact tracing. It is a review of these metrics in their totality and in context, as opposed to the daily change of a single metric, that informs decisions. Decisions also take into account the insight of Maine CDC epidemiologists; for example, whether an increase in cases is related to an outbreak in a congregate living facility or to spread among close contacts of a previous positive case.

In the past two weeks, Maine’s count of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased and there has been an uptick in hospitalizations. However, Maine’s hospital capacity and readiness – including the availability of ICU beds, non-ICU beds and ventilators – remains adequate.

“Data and science continue to guide Maine’s public health response to COVID-19,” said Dr. Nirav D. Shah, Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Expanded testing capacity and enhanced contact tracing add to our analytical toolkit as we review daily fluctuations in metrics and longer-term trends.”

Adjusted for population size, as of today, Maine ranked tenth lowest in the nation in terms of positive cases; 39th in the nation in terms of deaths; 30th in terms of patients ever-hospitalized out of the 35 states reporting; and 17th in the percentage of people who have recovered out of the 41 states reporting.

Recently, the Mills Administration has more than tripled the State’s testing capacity through a partnership with IDEXX, eliminated its testing prioritization system to allow anyone suspected of having COVID-19 to be tested, recommendeduniversal testing in congregate living situations after a single confirmed case, expanded the State’s contact tracing system, and announced the deployment of Federal funds to expand the State’s lab capacity, bolster rural hospital lab capacity, and establish drive-through testing sites.