FEDERAL -   The new bipartisan economic stimulus legislation - known as the CARES Act - contains significant new resources to help states address their massive, immediate budget problems due to COVID-19, though states will almost certainly need more aid in coming months.

The centerpiece of the state aid is the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund, which state, tribal, and local governments can use this year to meet costs connected to the virus. Each state will receive at least $1.25 billion - though the District of Columbia will only receive about $500 million - while the most populous states (California and Texas) will receive over $10 billion each, we estimate. (Click here)  ( California $15,321 billion).  In most states, a portion of the funding will go to local governments serving populations over 500,000. Tribal governments will receive $8 billion.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act")   The $2 trillion was signed into law. The full bill text and a section-by-section summary are attached. Here are the relevant highlights:

•   $3.5 billion in emergency funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) available through September 30, 2021

•  $750 million for Head Start

Paid Leave - Not much changed from the last stimulus package, Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

1.  No expansions of paid lead/paid sick day coverage from FFCRA (maintains 500+ employee carve-out and no new FMLA purposes) and no changes in reimbursement rates/caps
2. No major limitations or additional carve-outs to FFCRA. There are concerns about broad OMB allowance to exempt executive branch employee
3. Good change on employer tax credit provision allowing for advance, rather than reimbursement, of paid leave/paid sick day cost

Unemployment Insurance (UI)

1. $250 billion in temporary enhancements to the UI system through 2020, including:
1. $600 increase in the weekly UI checks of unemployed workers;
2. Special disaster relief program, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) that expands UI coverage to self-employed workers, gig workers, and independent contractors; and
3. A temporary 13-week extension of UI benefits.
2. For more information on the UI provisions in the CARES Act from the National Employment Law Center (NELP), click here . To read NELP's full press release, click here.

Recovery rebates

1. The legislation provides for direct payments to individuals called "recovery rebates"  
2. The rebates are worth a maximum of $1,200 per person ($2,400 for a married couple filing a joint tax return)
   • An additional $500 per dependent child age 16 or under

For more information, such as who is eligible, who is left out, and how the rebates will be issued, click here.

1. $10 billion for SBA emergency grants to small businesses, including non-profits
   • Businesses with fewer than 500 employees could be eligible for up to $10 million in forgivable small business loans
2. The Bipartisan Policy Center and Committee for Economic Development has put together a thorough summary of these provisions specifically for child care providers, to read the summary click here.

Other important federal updates

1. The IRS has extended the tax filing deadline to July 15th. For more IRS-related coronavirus information, click here .
2. The Department of Education announced last week that it will stop collecting on student loans in default. This break began on March 13th and will last for a minimum of 60 days. To read more, click here.

SIGN UP FOR THIS INFORMATION WEBINAR: CACFP during COVID-19: New USDA flexibilities offer program options

This webinar is an opportunity to learn about new flexibilities designed to support CACFP providers, programs, and sponsors in offering access to nutritious meals for children in the current COVID-19 public health emergency.  Child care centers, providers, afterschool programs, sponsoring organizations and shelters can all learn something important from this webinar. On this webinar USDA will explain the new waivers allowing CACFP sites to make adjustments to normal operating rules.  The waivers offer options to:

1. simplify food procurement,
2. use meal pattern flexibilities when food supplies are disrupted,
3. suspend normal meal-times,
4. offer "grab and go" take home meals or delivered meals instead of on-site meal service (non-congregate feeding), and
5. drop the activity requirement for at-risk afterschool programs.

 Date and Time:  Tuesday, March 31, 2020, 2:00 Eastern, 1:00 Central, 11:00 Pacific Time

   Register here 

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, it's clear that  among LA's most vulnerable are our low-income and immigrant working families. School closures have left these families without childcare with many facing the difficult decision to miss work without pay to care for their children. Each passing day, these families continue to disproportionately bear additional dire impacts including the loss of work hours or shifts, and perhaps even their jobs. Many are without the necessary funds to pay for basic necessities such as food, rent and medical care and many more families will be in this position as the pandemic continues.

Supporting these families requires collective action. That's why on March 16 over 20 non-profit organizations collectively launched One Family LA, a fundraising effort to help LA's families and their children in this difficult time. Every dollar donated will go straight to families most economically impacted by Covid-19 to cover their basic necessities.