Inslee extends 23 COVID-19 proclamations

— from Governor Jay Inslee’s Office —

Gov. Jay Inslee announced the extension of 23 proclamations today in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The extensions were approved by the state Legislature.

The proclamations, which were set to expire on May 31, 2020, are extended to June 17, 2020. All have previously been extended by the Legislature.

The May 29, 2020, letter extends the following: 

• 20-15.3: Waives/suspends statutes relating to in-person DOL eye examinations and renewals of drivers licenses and identicards. (20-15.2)
• 20-20.3: Waives/suspends laws and rules relating to tax penalties, fees, interest, and due dates in order to provide tax relief through the Department of Revenue. (20-20.2)
• 20-21.3: Waives/suspends statues/rules relating to a one-week waiting period to collect unemployment insurance. (20-21.2)
• 20-23.4: Waives/suspends laws relating to operation of utilities in order to provide relief to utility payers through UTC. (20-23.3)
• 20-26.3: Waives/suspends late penalties for tax payments for breweries/beer distributors and wine buyers on request from LCB. Prohibits LCB enforcement of the suspended provisions. (20-26.2)
• 20-27.3: Waives/suspends the effective date of SB 5641 (enacted 2019), which set Oct. 1, 2020, as the effective date to allow for electronic remote notary services. (20-27.2)
• 20-28.4: Waives/suspends aspects of the Open Public Meetings Act and the Public Records Act that require/allow in-person business transactions. (20-28.3)
• 20-29.3: Waives/suspends effective date of telemedicine parity bill passed in the 2020 legislative session, requiring parity between telemedicine visits and in-person doctor visits. (20-29.2)
• 20-30.3: Waives/suspends statutory job search requirements for applicants seeking unemployment insurance. (20-30.2)
• 20-31.3: Waives/suspends statutory fingerprint background check requirements for child care providers licensed by DCYF. (20-31.2)
• 20-32.3: Waives/suspends DOH statutory/regulatory requirements for health care workers to obtain ongoing continuing education/training to be licensed. (20-32.2)
• 20-33.5: Waives/suspends DCYF statutory/regulatory requirements that DCYF facilitate in-person visits for foster children with family/caseworkers and provide remedial services (family visits), for children in DCYF custody. (20-33.4)
• 20-34.3: Waives/suspends deadlines for local governments to file required annual financial reports with the State Auditor’s Office. (20-34.2)
• 20-37.3: Waives/Suspends laws/rules relating to registered nursing assistants training in nursing home facilities, allowing them to more easily begin working before being officially licensed. (20-37.2)
• 20-38.3: Waives/Suspends laws/rules that will allow DSHS to more easily register and license long-term care facilities. (20-38.2)
• 20-39.3: Waives/Suspends post-retirement statutory work limitations for experienced public employees to return to work or postpone retirement if they are in essential jobs. (20-39.2)
• 20-41.3: Waives/Suspends statutory deadlines for renewal of personal and commercial driver licenses, essentially extending the period in which people can renew their licenses. (20-41.2)
• 20-43.2: Suspends/Waives requirements relating to paying employees by mail, shared leave and telecommuting options for certain state employees, and waives accrued vacation time carryover limits. (20-43.1)
• 20-44.2: Suspends/Waives requirements so as to allow nursing homes to transfer/discharge residents to other long-term care facilities, even in cases in which a resident has appealed that transfer/discharge.  (20-44.1)
• 20-48.2: Waives certain statutory barriers for renewing or extending commercial driver licenses and commercial learner permits to align with federal statutes waived by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This allows commercial truckers to keep supply chains fully stocked. (20-48.1)
• 20-49.4: Protects CARES Act stimulus payments, as well as state and federal unemployment payments, from bank account garnishments. (20-49.3)
• 20-51.2: Waives/Suspends certain laws relating to the operation of utilities in order to provide relief to utility payers through the state Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). (20-51.1)
• 20-52.2: Formally extends the statutory waivers initially included in Proclamations 20-06, 20-10, 20-16, 20-17 and 20-18, which were extended together for administrative efficiency. (20-52.1)