Each day, we:
Want to know what happened yesterday? Click here. The next two daysWhat is reopening in the next two days? July 1
Since our last editionWhat is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here. For our last edition, click here.
Update on stay-at-home ordersForty-three states issued orders directing residents to stay home except for essential activities and the closure or curtailment of businesses each state deemed nonessential. Seven states did not. As of June 30, stay-at-home orders have ended in 42 states. Nineteen of those states have Republican governors and 23 have Democratic governors (including Wisconsin, where the state supreme court invalidated the stay-at-home order). California, which has a Democratic governor, is the only remaining state with an active stay-at-home order. Here’s which stay-at-home orders have expired.
Tracking industries: Face coveringsAll 50 states are reopening in some way. Here, we give the status of one industry or activity across the states. Today’s question: in which states must you wear a face covering in public? We last looked at face coverings in the June 22nd edition of the newsletter. Since then, no requirements have changed. Two states will implement requirements this week, however.
No statewide face covering requirements have ended since June 22.
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This is an in-depth summary of one of the latest reopening plans. Is there a plan you’d like us to feature? Reply to this email and let us know. Click a state below to read a previous Featured Plan. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) announced the Healthy At Work reopening plan on April 29. The plan initially took effect May 11, allowing non-essential construction and manufacturing, horse racing, pet grooming and boarding, and office-based businesses to resume operations. In a press release announcing the plan, Beshear said, “We’ve got to do this right. I believe we can do this right. When we phase back in to work, remember, you don’t need an in-person meeting. Use the telephone. And now that we are starting to open up health care, see your doctor if you need to.” The state completed the formal plan on June 29 with the reopening of bars and restaurants, public pools, and larger event spaces. The final batch of reopenings also permitted gatherings of up to 50 people. According to the reopening plan, the following benchmarks were considered in deciding to reopen:
Context
Plan detailsGeneral guidance Individuals Kentuckians were encouraged to:
Businesses All open businesses are required to comply with the following minimum requirements:
Reopening timeline The below timeline details Kentucky’s reopening process. Click on each date to view the relevant reopening order.
Reactions
Additional activityIn this section, we feature examples of activities by other federal, state, and local governments and influencers relevant to recovering from the pandemic.
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Trump campaign makes $95 million ad buy in battleground states
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Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: June 29, 2020
Each day, we:
Want to know what happened Friday? Click here. The next two daysWhat is reopening in the next two days? June 30
July 1
Since our last editionWhat is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here. For our last edition, click here.
Update on stay-at-home ordersForty-three states issued orders directing residents to stay home except for essential activities and the closure or curtailment of businesses each state deemed nonessential. Seven states did not. As of June 27, stay-at-home orders have ended in 40 states. Nineteen of those states have Republican governors and 21 have Democratic governors (including Wisconsin, where the state Supreme Court invalidated the stay-at-home order). The three states with active stay-at-home orders have Democratic governors. They are (with expiration date):
Here’s which stay-at-home orders have expired.
Tracking industries: BarsAll 50 states are reopening in some way. Here, we give the status of one industry or activity across the states. Today’s question: in which states may you go to a bar? We last looked at bars in the June 17th edition of the newsletter. Since then, five states have opened bars, while two states have closed them. Here’s what has changed:
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This is an in-depth summary of one of the latest reopening plans. Is there a plan you’d like us to feature? Reply to this email and let us know. Click a state below to read a previous Featured Plan. On April 24, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed Executive Order No. 1477, the Safer At Home order that began the process of reopening the economy. The order took effect on April 27 and was originally set to expire on May 11. In announcing the order, Reeves said, “This disease has not hit every American fairly. And the economic damage has not hit every American fairly. Wall Street and Hollywood will be fine. Mississippi small businesses and workers are not. That’s who has been asked to shoulder the country’s burden. It’s not fair, and it’s not right. We are starting to re-open our economy. It’s not a light switch that only goes on and off. It’s a dimmer. We can take measured steps to make life better.” The order said Mississippi could begin reopening because: “…the incidences of infection in Mississippi have stabilized; there is decreased utilization of hospital resources; a robust testing system is in place capable of promptly detecting any increase in the rate of infection; the healthcare system is capable of treating persons with the COVID-19 and has the capacity to promptly react to any increase in incidences; and the State has in place a plan to rapidly scale up healthcare capacity in the event of an increase in the rate of infection…” On May 7, Reeves announced that the state was entering Stage 2 of reopening. Reeves replaced the Safer At Home order with the Safe Return order. According to Reeves, this was the final stage of reopening. Context
Plan detailsWhen Reeves extended the statewide shelter-in-place order on April 17, he also eased, for the first time, a few restrictions on nonessential businesses. Beginning that day, nonessential businesses like clothing stores and florists could offer curbside pickup or delivery services. Additionally, Reeves reopened lakes and beaches across the state for fishing and other leisure activities, so long as social distancing was followed. Stage 1 of Safer At Home
Mississippi entered the first stage of reopening on April 27. Although the shelter-in-place order had expired, the 10-person limit on gatherings remained in place. Vulnerable and elderly individuals were encouraged to continue following the guidelines set out in the shelter-in-place order. In Stage 1, hospitals and dentists were allowed to resume performing elective surgeries and other medical and dental procedures. Retail businesses could reopen at 50% capacity, so long as they made hand sanitizer available to customers at store entrances. The following businesses were prohibited from reopening to in-person activities:
Stage 2
On May 4, Reeves signed Executive Order No. 1478, which extended the Safer at Home order and further eased restrictions. The order went into effect May 7, at which point the state entered Stage 2 of reopening. In the second stage, restaurants were permitted to offer indoor and outdoor dining at 50% capacity. Bars, and bar areas, could not reopen. Other rules required deep-cleaning and sanitizing the entire establishment before reopening, and required employees to wear face coverings when interacting with patrons. Indoor gatherings were still restricted to 10 people, but outdoor gatherings could expand up to 20 people. Parks, including state, municipal, and private parks, were allowed to reopen between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. for recreational activities, so long as social distancing was followed. On May 8, Reeves signed Executive Order 1480, which once again extended the statewide Safer at Home order and eased restrictions on some businesses. Under this order, close contact businesses like salons and barbershops were permitted to reopen. Exercise facilities, like gyms, were allowed to reopen. Waiting areas were closed, and only one customer at a time was allowed in a salon or barbershop. Gyms were limited to 30% capacity. Reeves issued Executive Order 1486 on May 15, allowing tattoo parlors to reopen with restrictions. The order also allowed restaurants that do not serve alcohol to offer indoor dining 24 hours a day and permitted dance studios to reopen subject to the same restrictions as gyms. On May 22, Reeves extended the Safer at Home order through June 1 and permitted more businesses to reopen. Under Executive Order No. 1487, outdoor recreational facilities were allowed to reopen with restrictions, and schools could reopen weight rooms and training facilities, so long as they followed the guidelines already in place for gyms. Additionally, team practices could resume at outdoor sports complexes. Safe Return
On May 27, Reeves announced the Safe Return order would replace the Safer at Home order on June 1. He said Safe Return was the final stage of reopening. The Safe Return order permitted indoor gatherings to increase to a maximum of 50 people and outdoor gatherings to increase to a maximum of 100 people. If social distancing was not possible, indoor gatherings were limited to 20, while outdoor gatherings were limited to 50 people. The order allowed all businesses to reopen in Mississippi, including:
On June 10, Reeves announced he was extending Safe Return through June 29, with modifications. The revised order allowed gyms and fitness facilities to operate at 50% capacity and allowed indoor and outdoor arenas and venues to operate at 50% capacity. On June 26, Reeves announced he was extending the “Safe Return” order through July 6, with modifications. The revised order allows concession stands at outdoor sports arenas to open and permits pools to be open 24 hours a day. Additional activityIn this section, we feature examples of activities by other federal, state, and local governments and influencers relevant to recovering from the pandemic.
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Bold Justice: June 29, 2020
| Welcome to the June 29 edition of Bold Justice, Ballotpedia’s newsletter about the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) and other judicial happenings around the U.S. Need something to read while you’re barbequing on July 4? Check us out on Twitter or subscribe to the Daily Brew. |
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The U.S. Supreme Court usually finishes releasing all opinions for the term by the end of June. This year might be different. When was the last time SCOTUS issued opinions into July? |
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 We’ll be back on July 13 with a new edition of Bold Justice. |
Biden, Trump release campaign staff diversity data
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Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: June 26, 2020
Each day, we:
Want to know what happened yesterday? Click here. The next three daysWhat is reopening in the next three days? June 27
June 29
Since our last editionWhat is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here. For our last edition, click here.
Update on stay-at-home ordersForty-three states issued orders directing residents to stay home except for essential activities and the closure or curtailment of businesses each state deemed nonessential. Seven states did not. As of June 26, stay-at-home orders have ended in 39 states. Nineteen of those states have Republican governors and 20 have Democratic governors (including Wisconsin, where the state Supreme Court invalidated the stay-at-home order). The four states with active stay-at-home orders have Democratic governors. They are (with expiration date):
Here’s which stay-at-home orders have expired.
Tracking industries: Amusement parksAll 50 states are reopening in some way. Here, we give the status of one industry or activity across the states. Today’s question: in which states may you go to an amusement park? We consider theme parks, water parks, and other outdoor entertainment parks here.
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This is an in-depth summary of one of the latest reopening plans. Is there a plan you’d like us to feature? Reply to this email and let us know. Click a state below to read a previous Featured Plan On April 30, Gov. Laura Kelly (D) released a phased reopening plan called “Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas.” The plan, developed in consultation with community and business leaders, a state emergency management team, and the state health department, laid out a baseline framework local governments throughout the state would need to follow, while permitting them to impose additional restrictions, if necessary. The first phase of the plan began on May 4. The state entered the second phase on May 22. On May 26, Kelly announced she would no longer enforce the reopening plan, and instead allow local governments to decide which phase of the plan to adopt. In announcing the plan, Kelly said, “It has been a difficult time that has taken a painful toll… financially, emotionally, physically, spiritually and professionally on Kansans. “But because Kansans took this seriously, COVID-19 has inflicted far less devastation on Kansas than it did in other states.” She also said that the reopening plan “aims to balance the needs and concerns identified throughout diverse regions of the state, and sectors of the Kansas economy, but without compromising public health and safety. Data must drive this process … not dates.” The plan says the following metrics would be used to determine if the state would move from one phase to the next:
Additionally, the plan recommends that local governments should look at the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, COVID-19 hospital admissions, and the trajectory of deaths when deciding whether to loosen or add restrictions. Context
Plan detailsPhase One began on May 4, allowing several types of businesses to reopen if they could adhere to certain requirements. Phase One maintained the 10-person gathering limit instituted under the stay-at-home plan. All businesses were permitted to reopen if they could follow social distancing and sanitation requirements, including enforcing the 10-person gathering limit in areas where patrons could not maintain six feet of distance from one another. Childcare facilities and libraries were allowed to operate under Phase One. The following businesses were prohibited from opening in Phase One:
In this phase, individuals were encouraged to wear masks in public settings, and employers were encouraged to allow remote work when possible. Phase 1.5 began May 18 and was not included in the first version of the plan. Kelly announced the inclusion of the new phase on May 14. She said the daily rate of disease spread was too high to move fully into Phase Two. In Phase 1.5, the state maintained the 10-person gathering limit. The following businesses and activities were allowed to reopen or resume with restrictions:
The following businesses were prohibited from reopening:
Phase Two began on May 22. The state increased the cap on gatherings to 15 individuals. In Phase Two, recreational, youth, and non-professional sports were allowed to resume. Casinos and indoor leisure spaces, like arcades, were also permitted to reopen. The following businesses were prohibited from reopening:
On May 26, Kelly said she was turning responsibility for reopening over to local governments and would no longer impose a statewide reopening plan. Local governments could decide which phase of the plan to follow based on local conditions. Phase Three was originally planned to begin no earlier than June 8. In Phase Three, the cap on gatherings is increased to 45 people and no businesses or activities are restricted from reopening or resuming. Individuals are encouraged to adhere to personal hygiene guidelines, and on-site staffing for employers is unrestricted. Phase Out was the planned final phase of the reopening plan and was scheduled to begin no earlier than June 22. The plan states that “Once the state is in Phase Out the Governor will make additional recommendations to maintain public health and safety.” As in the previous phases, local governments were still permitted to impose additional restrictions if necessary. Businesses were encouraged to follow public health measures, and individuals were encouraged to practice social distancing and hygiene protocols. On Monday, June 22, Kelly recommended that in light of a spike in positive COVID-19 cases, local governments should follow Phase Three of the reopening plan. Reactions
Additional activityIn this section, we feature examples of activities by other federal, state, and local governments and influencers relevant to recovering from the pandemic.
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Ballotpedia’s Weekly Presidential News Briefing: June 20-26, 2020
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The Cook Political Report 
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Pence promotes economy, trade policy in Ohio
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| June 26, 2020: Mike Pence spoke about the Trump administration’s economic and trade policy in Ohio on Thursday. The Lincoln Project is airing a pro-Joe Biden ad in swing states.
Each Friday, we highlight a presidential candidate’s key campaign staffer.
Stephanie Alexander is a Republican staffer with experience in political organizing and finance. Previous campaign work:
Other experience:
“The non-partisan research group Morning Consult conducted surveys during the 2016 campaign and discovered that Trump ran 6% better in Internet Polls than in those done over the phone — a difference not evident for any of the other candidates tested via the two mediums. The chief researcher, Kyle Dropp, concluded that the data suggests ‘that some polling may be understating Trump’s actual level of support.’ While it’s hard to gauge exactly how many secret Trump supporters are out there, a recent Rasmussen Reports poll shows that 15% of Republican voters are less likely to let others know how they’ll vote in the upcoming election.” – David Brody, Texas Insider Election Updates
What We’re Reading
Flashback: June 26, 2016 Donald Trump said that former presidential rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich would not be permitted to speak at the Republican National Convention if they did not support him, The New York Times reported. “If there’s no endorsement, then I would not invite them to speak,” he said. |
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Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: June 25, 2020
Each day, we:
Want to know what happened yesterday? Click here. The next two daysWhat is reopening in the next two days? June 26
Since our last editionWhat is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here. For our last edition, click here.
Update on stay-at-home ordersForty-three states issued orders directing residents to stay home except for essential activities and the closure or curtailment of businesses each state deemed nonessential. Seven states did not. As of June 25, stay-at-home orders have ended in 39 states. Nineteen of those states have Republican governors and 20 have Democratic governors (including Wisconsin, where the state Supreme Court invalidated the stay-at-home order). The four states with active stay-at-home orders have Democratic governors. They are (with expiration date):
Here’s which stay-at-home orders have expired.
Tracking industries: Indoor performancesAll 50 states began to reopen in some way. Here, we give the status of one industry or activity across the states. Today’s question: in which states may you go see a concert or play?
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This is an in-depth summary of one of the latest reopening plans. Is there a plan you’d like us to feature? Reply to this email and let us know. Click a state below to read a previous Featured Plan. Gov. Kristi Noem (R) announced South Dakota’s Back to Normal plan on April 28. Noem said, “Thanks to a strong commitment and respect for the principle of personal responsibility, South Dakotans have dramatically changed the trajectory of our initial COVID-19 projections. With our hospitalization capacity currently at a manageable level, South Dakotans are asked to consider the following steps as we look to get back to normal.” The plan provided guidance and recommendations for businesses and individuals, including advice on sanitation and capacity limits. It also encouraged local governments to “[c]onsider current and future actions in light of these guidelines.” Noem said the decision to initiate the plan was based on the following metrics:
South Dakota is one of seven states that did not issue a stay-at-home order (along with Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming). It is the only state that did not close businesses in response to the coronavirus. Context
Plan detailsGeneral guidance After announcing South Dakota’s Back to Normal plan, Noem said, “I trusted my people, they trusted me to make decisions that were best for us, and they’ve just done an absolute fantastic job. That’s why my plan is not a reopening plan, it’s a back-to-normal plan. We’re working our way back towards getting the life in South Dakota that we love again — and I’m giving them guidance to do that.” Since South Dakota never released mandatory health orders related to the coronavirus, the reopening plan contained recommendations for individuals and businesses. The following recommendations were included in Noem’s plan:
Guidance for reopening the state government On May 1, Noem signed an executive order allowing cabinet secretaries in her administration to reopen in-person office activities at their discretion. According to a press release, the order still allowed “admin leave for employees who cannot come in and cannot work remotely. It also allows for approved out-of-state work-related travel.” Reactions
Additional activityIn this section, we feature examples of activities by other federal, state, and local governments and influencers relevant to recovering from the pandemic.
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DNC tells delegates not to attend national convention in Milwaukee
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