COVID-19 Stimulus Bill: What It Means for States [NCSL Today]

TOP NEWS, National Conference of State Legislature
 March 26, 2020

Overview

The U.S. Senate approved an estimated $2 trillion stimulus package to battle the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, though concerns with the unemployment provisions remain. A few highlights of what's included in the package: 

• Creates a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund for state, local and tribal governments. See estimated state allocations courtesy of Federal Funds Information for States.
• Provides $30 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund for states, school districts and institutions of higher education for costs related to the coronavirus. 
• Provides $45 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund for the immediate needs of state, local, tribal and territorial governments to protect citizens and help them respond and recover from the overwhelming effects of COVID-19.
• Provides $1.4 billion for deployments of the National Guard. This level of funding will sustain up to 20,000 members of the National Guard, under the direction of the governors of each state, for the next six months in order to support state and local response efforts.
• Provides an additional $4.3 billion, thorough the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to support federal, state and local public health agencies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.
• Extends Real ID deadline for full implementation by states from Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021.
• Provides $25 billion for transit systems. These funds would be distributed through existing formulas including theUrbanized Area Formula Grantsand Formula Grants for Rural Areas using fiscal year 2020 apportionment formulas.
• Provides $400 million in election security grants to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus in the 2020 federal election cycle. States must provide an accounting to the Election Assistance Commission of how the funds were spent within 20 days of any 2020 election.
• Expands unemployment insurance from three to four months, and provides temporary unemployment compensation of $600 per week, which is in addition to and the same time as regular state and federal UI benefits.
• Establishes a $500 billion lending fund for businesses, cities and states.
• Provides a $1,200 direct payment to many Americans and $500 for each dependent child.To read the entire March 26 Top Story article in the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) e-blast, click here.