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NY: New York governor considers quarantine for out-of-state visitors
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo doubled down on the suggestion he first brought up last week, contemplating an isolation period for visitors coming to New York from states where coronavirus cases are on the rise, including Florida and Texas.
AL: Alabama governor says noose targeting Bubba Wallace ‘disgusting display of hatred’
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, said the placement of a noose in the garage stall of Black driver Bubba Wallace at Talladega Superspeedway was a “vile act” and a “disgusting display of hatred.”
SC: South Carolina students may not return to school in the fall if pandemic increase keeps up
On April 22, when South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, moved schooling online for the remainder of the school year, there had been a total of 4,834 cases in the state. Now, there have been more than 25,000 cases.
MS: Mississippi governor opposes ‘separate but equal’ option to create a second state flag
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said he opposes any proposal that would establish a second state flag. Reeves initially indicated he would consider a potential bill allowing a second official flag to be flown along the current one, which includes Confederate iconography.
OK: Oklahoma Health Department urging testing for rally-goers
The Oklahoma State Department of Health is urging Oklahomans to be tested for COVID-19 if they have recently attended large-scale gatherings such as protests or the campaign rally for President Donald Trump in Tulsa. The agency Sunday reported a record 478 new coronavirus cases in Oklahoma, continuing a trend of skyrocketing case numbers that has persisted for more than a week.
FL: Florida is crucial to the return of sports. It’s also a virus hotspot.
In mid-May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, invited sports leagues to come to his state, suggesting at a news conference that the state could host events safely. More than a month later, conditions in the state are challenging that notion.
AZ: Groups with political ties often benefit from Arizona governor’s COVID-19 charity
When Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, announced a $500,000 allocation to fight hunger, all of that money went to the Arizona Association of Food Banks. The food banks within the association each had up to five board members who had made political campaign contributions to Ducey or his political causes since 2014.
NY: New York’s moratorium on evictions ends, leaving thousands of tenants fearful
A moratorium on evictions that New York state imposed during the pandemic expired over the weekend, raising fears that tens of thousands of residents struggling in the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression will be called into housing courts.
UT: Utah health officials warn of ‘complete shutdown’
Health officials are urging Republican Gov. Gary Herbert to return coronavirus restrictions to the “orange” level statewide if Utah does not get down to an average of 200 new cases a day by July 1. During the past week, the state has averaged more than twice that many, about 470 new daily cases.
HI: Hawaii Supreme Court cracks down on police interrogation tactics
As nationwide protests over police use of force and racism continue, the Hawaii Supreme Court is cracking down on another questionable police practice: interrogation tactics such as lying to suspects in order to elicit a confession. Lying to suspects during interrogation can now amount to unlawful coercion.
MD: More than 200 Maryland companies helped respond to COVID-19
Maryland companies have sewn masks, manufactured personal protective equipment and delivered meals to frontline workers. The businesses include technology firms, local boutiques, restaurants, hotels and biotechnology companies.
WV: West Virginia governor again says no to mandatory face masks
Despite an upward trend in COVID-19 cases and infection rates in West Virginia, Republican Gov. Jim Justice said he is not prepared to institute additional measures to curtail the spread of the virus, including mandating wearing face masks in public settings.
ID: Idaho county to move back to Stage 3 after coronavirus spike
Idaho’s Ada County, which includes Boise, will move back into Stage 3 after a surge in cases. That means bars will be closed, and a mask requirement could be on the way.
MN: City, county leaders press Minnesota governor on M in COVID-19 aid
Leaders of Minnesota cities and counties dealing with the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic are pressing Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, to release $841 million in federal aid that was held up in a partisan stalemate at the end of the legislative special session.
WI: Tribal governments in Wisconsin ‘crippled’ by lost gambling revenue during pandemic
With every U.S. casino shut down for at least part of the spring and many still not open, some 241 tribes — including all 11 in Wisconsin — stand to lose about $22.4 billion, more than half their projected revenue this year, according to the National Indian Gaming Association, an inter-tribal organization dedicated to protecting the welfare and sovereignty of tribes.
SC: Activists halt Black Lives Matter protests in South Carolina amid positive tests
South Carolina racial justice activists said they would postpone future demonstrations or move them online after at least 13 people who took part in previous protests tested positive for the coronavirus.
NJ: Police unions: Naming disciplined officers will ‘harass, embarrass’ New Jersey troopers
Three New Jersey police unions called on state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to reverse his decision to release the names of state troopers who have been disciplined.
MO: Coronavirus cases spiking in southwestern Missouri
A rural area of Missouri’s far southwestern corner is seeing a big spike in coronavirus cases, driving a record increase in cases in the state.
LA: Louisiana pausing coronavirus reopening, staying in Phase 2 for 28 more days
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, is pausing the state’s reopening, keeping the current Phase 2 rules in place for an additional 28 days to get a handle on spikes in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations across the state.
NC: North Carolina cases up; move to further reopen unlikely
Phase 2 of North Carolina’s coronavirus reopening is scheduled to end Friday with a further loosening in Phase 3. But the state is dealing with a rising number of cases, hospitalizations and percentage of tests that are positive — three of the key indicators Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and his administration said they are watching.
IL: Illinois governor unveils Phase 4 guidelines
Illinois is on track to move into Phase 4 at the end of the week. The average seven-day statewide case positivity rate fell to 2.5% last week.
KS: After Kansas overdrafts unemployed residents’ bank accounts, labor secretary resigns
Kansas Democratic Labor Secretary Delia Garcia, who led the state’s rocky response to the massive surge of unemployment caused by the pandemic, has resigned after her agency overdrafted the bank accounts of an undetermined number of residents.
NH: New Hampshire launches commission on law enforcement
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu told a commission on law enforcement that New Hampshire has some of the country’s best police officers but acknowledged that improvements can be made.
ME: Maine governor postpones July 1 bar reopenings because of virus concerns
Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills said the reopening date for indoor service at bars will be delayed, citing higher coronavirus transmission risks and outbreaks linked to bar reopenings in other states.
DE: Delaware House committee releases racial inequality legislation
One bill would amend the Delaware Constitution to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. The other bill would criminalize the use of “aggravated strangulation” by law enforcement officials, meaning police officers cannot use chokeholds or kneeholds unless the officer believes it is necessary to protect a life.
NY: Pandemic creates backlog in New York City courts
The coronavirus outbreak is putting extraordinary stress on New York City’s judicial system, forcing lengthy delays in criminal proceedings and raising growing concerns about the rights of defendants. Since February, the backlog of pending cases in the city’s criminal courts has risen by nearly a third — to 39,200.
WI: Wisconsin schools should expect coronavirus threat for next 18 months, according to new state guidance
Wisconsin education officials think the majority of schools will reopen in the fall, but they encouraged local leaders to prepare for 18 more months of the coronavirus threat. That means considering alternatives like shortened weeks, or blends of in-person, physically distanced and virtual learning.
NJ: Governor raises limit on New Jersey gatherings
New Jersey outdoor gatherings can now have 250 people maximum, up from 100, while indoor gatherings can have up to 25% of capacity, not to exceed 100 people. The previous cap for indoor gatherings had been 50 people.
AK: Passengers must be tested before boarding most Alaska ferries
Passengers on Alaska’s mainline ferries are now being required to get a COVID-19 test before traveling. Passengers on shorter haul voyages will be asked to sign a screening form instead, attesting they’ve had no symptoms nor have traveled to an infected area without social distancing.
CA: Native tribes block California sports betting effort
A proposal to allow gambling in California on baseball, football and other sports died in the legislature when it ran into fierce opposition from Native American tribes. Protective of their casinos, the tribes have been pushing a far more limited version of sports betting that excludes online wagers.
NV: Nevada governor proposes new car emission standards
Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak and Nevada environmental officials are proposing a set of regulations that would adopt California’s standards for low or zero-emission vehicles by 2024 to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change.
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