November 9, 2020
California Federation of Republican Women
Sue Blair, President
By Lou Ann Flaherty, CFRW Legislative Analyst
Governor Newsom & Coronavirus Series
MARCH/APRIL 2020
Governor Newsom Takes Executive Action to Establish a Statewide Moratorium on Evictions. N-37-20 (March 27, 2020).
This executive order banned the enforcement of eviction orders for renters affected by COVID-19 through May 31, 2020. The order prohibited landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent and prohibited enforcement of evictions by law enforcement or courts. It also required tenants to declare in writing, no more than seven days after the rent comes due, that the tenant cannot pay all or part of their rent due to COVID-19.
Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order on Judicial Council Emergency Authority. N-38-20 (March 27, 2020)
This executive order empowers the Judicial Council and the Chief justice of the California Supreme Court to take necessary action to be able to conduct business and continue to operate while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order allows the Judicial Branch to allow for remote depositions in every case (the law had previously required that parties be deposed in person) and electronic service of process. This order does not affect any existing court order or rule.
Governor Newsom Announces California Health Corps, a Major Initiative to Expand Health Care Workforce to Fight COVID-19. N-39-20 (March 30, 2020)
This executive order launched an initiative to expand health care workforce and staff at least an additional 50,000 hospital beds needed for the COVID-19 surge. Health care professionals with an active license, public health professionals, medical retirees, medical and nursing students, or members of medical disaster response teams in California were encouraged to join the new California Health Corps.
Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order Providing Relief to California Small Businesses. N-40-20 (March 30, 2020)
This executive order allowed the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) to offer a 90-day extension, until July 31st, for tax returns and tax payments for all businesses filing a return for less than $1 million in taxes. Also, the Department of Motor Vehicles would limit in-person transactions, allowing instead for mail-in renewals, and the Department of Consumer Affairs will waive continuing education requirements for several professions for 60 days. It also extended the Office of Administrative Law’s deadlines to review regular department proposed regulations and a 60-day extension to investigation of public safety officers based on allegations of misconduct. Finally, deadlines for trainings, investigations, and adverse actions for state workers were extended.
Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order Providing for Expedited Resources for COVID-19 Response. N-41-20 (April 1, 2020)
This executive order allowed for the immediate use of the $1.4 billion funds from the state’s Disaster Response-Emergency Operations Account (DREOA) to support the state’s continuing efforts to protect public health and respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The governor ordered the Department of Finance to transfer $1.3 billion on March 25, 2020 from the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties, the state’s traditional budget reserve, into the DREOA. Added to the its existing $99M balance, $1.4B was made available to pay for costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the state’s expenditures associated with the COVID-19 response are expected to be largely reimbursed by the federal government.
