With various levels of government having called for states of emergency, it is important that people understand the powers that this allows. With reference to articles found on local network KIRO7, Newsweek and The Hill, here is an overview of what these declarations mean.
The recently called national state of emergency invokes the Stafford Act — signed into law in 1988 — which allows for the deployment of up to $42 billion from the Disaster Relief Fund. Additionally, the national state of emergency allows for the more active involvement of FEMA to assist the states with their responses, while also allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to waive various laws and regulations to increase the flexibility of health care providers and hospitals in their responses.
At the state level, while each state has its own procedures and guidelines for what constitutes an emergency and who can officially declare one, the actual declaration typically results in the following:
· The activation of state emergency response plans
· The deployment of emergency funds
· Suspension of certain rules and regulations to increase the ability of organizations to response
· Removal of certain limitations for procurement, to assist in rapid acquisition of needed assets.
So far, governors in 18 states have deployed the National Guard to assist in the response to COVID-19, and state governments throughout the nation have continued to deploy their powers to restrict the size of gatherings, close down non-critical businesses, and temporarily shutter schools. As the response is still early, it seems likely state governments will continue to exercise their powers to help prevent the further spread of the virus.
Sources:
National: https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/coronavirus-what-is-state-emergency/42Q5MEB42FFNPMVHKM42IJAVVQ/
State: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-coronavirus-national-emergency-federal-funds-1492262
Breakdown by state: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/487811-states-lead-unevenly-on-coronavirus-response
