Governor Polis Takes Action in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Thursday, April 30, 2020

DENVER - Gov. Polis today signed Executive Orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Gov. Polis today signed Executive Order D 2020 050, restricting spending for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.The Executive Order directs the Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) to submit the sequestration plan outlined in the Executive Order to the Joint Budget Committee and General Assembly. The sequestration plan set out in the Executive Order D2020 050 is a targeted and practical approach to reduce spending quickly by $228.7 million to attempt to maintain the statutory reserve requirements directed by statute. It builds on OSPB’s Guidance for Fiscal Conservation issued March 30, 2020 and does not rely on broad across-the-board cuts but rather specific line item reductions that can be made with the least possible impact to State programs and services. Importantly, the Executive Order does not mandate any furloughs or layoffs for State employees this fiscal year, and we want to ensure we have a strong, stable State workforce as we manage the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full Executive Order and OSPB plan here. 

Gov Polis also signed Executive Order D 2020 054, directing the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to provide additional funds to nursing homes and other congregate care facilities in response to COVID-19, as well as Executive Order D 2020 053, which extends the date that unaffiliated candidates may begin collecting signatures. 

The Governor also extended Executive Orders temporarily suspending the personal appearance requirement before notarial officers to perform notarizations, temporarily suspending requirements preventing issuance of marriage licenses, extending the closure of downhill ski areas until May 23, expanding the use of telehealth services, temporarily suspending certain statutes to provide State agencies with flexibility to fulfill their duties and respond to COVID-19, and limiting evictions, foreclosures, and public utility disconnections to provide relief to Coloradans.

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