​​Following several years of declining or flat enrollment growth, states expect Medicaid enrollment and spending each to jump by more than 8 percent in FY 2021, chiefly due to a slumping economy amid the pandemic and federal conditions to maintain coverage to access enhanced federal matching funds, according to a new Medicaid budget survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

 

​​As the wave of COVID-induced layoffs continues, many states are grappling with evaporating funds for unemployment benefits that could force cuts to payments or hikes in business taxes. The Pew Trust reports that 31 states already are using federal CARES Act dollars or seeking federal loans to keep unemployment coffers funded.

 

​​The Department of Defense’s OWS portal describes the development process, timeline and distribution strategy for a COVID-19 vaccine, with the first of 300 million doses provided by January 2021. Successful implementation of Operation Warp Speed requires precise intergovernmental coordination and the cooperation of many public and private partners..

 

​​The Society of Healthcare Epidemiologists — a major US infectious diseases medical society — outlined recommendations for requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. The recommendations include all healthcare personnel, including anyone who works or volunteers in healthcare settings, and attendees and staff of childcare facilities and schools, with exceptions for those with certain conditions.

 

​​Updated daily, this NCSL site provides data visualizations about state-initiated bills related to COVID-19 including budgeting and revenue, child welfare, commerce, criminal justice, education, elections, employment, finance, health access and coverage, housing and homelessness, labor and retirement, legislative operations, public health, workforce and more.

 

​​COVID-19 is affecting Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color the most, according to the COVID Racial Data Tracker, a collaboration between the COVID Tracking Project and the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research.

 

​​Johns Hopkins University is compiling a daily updated summary of COVID-19 statistics by state showing critical data from the past 24 hours on the numbers of new cases and deaths. The impact of infection control measures and re-openings undertaken by states is also tracked daily in a JHU timeline.

 

​​State tax collections declined 5.5% in FY 2020 according to new Census data, reports the Tax Foundation. Actual losses are likely to be significantly lower after accounting for postponed tax filing deadlines. Revenues for FY 2020 were certainly not desireable, but for most states, early losses have been more manageable than previously feared.

 

​​According to a new CDC report, weekly COVID-19 cases among persons aged 18–22 years increased 55% nationally. Increases were greatest in the Northeast (144%) and Midwest (123%) and were not solely attributable to increased testing. The report includes CDC guidance on best public health practices for young adults.

 

​​RestoreYourEconomy.org provides extensive resources and best practices for state leaders regarding the restoration of local economies. The site, managed by the  International Economic Development Council (IEDC), features articles and case reports on many dimensions of post-COVID economic recovery.

 

​​This resource from the National Governors’ Association details a range of actions taken by governors and state officials in economic development organizations to support small businesses and regional economies in the wake of COVID-19. Also accessible is the entire archive of NGA Policy Memos.

 

​​The US economy is operating at 79% of where it was in early March. The Back-to-Normal Index provides assessments of each state’s economic recovery. Created by Moody’s Analytics and CNN Business, the index uses 37 national- and state-level indicators to assess and rank each state.

 

​​States and localities are being forced to balance a surge in demand for government expenditures with unprecedented funding shortfalls. McKinsey & Co.’s analysis Reimagining the Postpandemic Economic Future looks at what is required of cities, states, and the nation to come back from the pandemic even stronger by "deliberately addressing the vulnerabilities the crisis has exposed."

 

​​The Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) and Smart Incentives have collaborated on a guide for adjusting incentive programs to support small business recovery. The paper provides guidance for helping Main St. businesses even as states grapple with severe budget limitations, and offers several examples of successful programs from across the country.

 

​​States face a significant loss of tax revenue in FY 2021 and beyond due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but estimates of the scope of those losses continue to evolve. A new analysis by the Tax Foundation of 12 states’ revenue forecasts indicates $121 billion two-year tax revenue losses compared to FY 2019. While these losses are substantial, they are not as draconian as current worst-case scenarios. Understanding the scope of revenue losses can help bring into focus the view from the statehouses as a federal relief package is considered.

 

​​Women make up more than 50% of the population but constitute only around 24% of legislators and hold 25% of Fortune 500 board seats. To determine where women receive the most equal treatment, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 17 key indicators of gender equality.

 

​

PREVIOUS Topics

​Economic Recovery

​ Evaluation Tax Incentives

The Pew Charitable Trusts have developed best practices for policymakers to evaluate their tax incentives regularly and rigorously.

​ COVID-19 Impact: $121 Billion Loss in State Revenues

A new analysis by the Tax Foundation of 12 states’ revenue forecasts indicates $121 billion two-year tax revenue losses compared to FY 2019.

​ Essential Reading: Economic Outlook from CBO

In a July 8 report, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that GDP will be $3.9 trillion lower over 2020–2021 than in its January projections.

​ Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience

A bipartisan group of experts have developed a roadmap for how to safely reopen the economy (Roadmap to Panedemic Resilience).  

​COVID-19 Infection and Testing

​ PhRMA Tracks COVID-19 Trials

The PhRMA website tracks progress on 1449 current clinical trials, including trials of 477 unique therapies and unique 28 vaccines, and provides summaries of member companies activities to combat the pandemic.

​ Children and COVID-19 Risk

The CDC reports that children are at risk for severe COVID-19, with one in three hospitalized children being admitted to Intensive Care Units. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that there were 97,078 new child cases reported in the two weeks ending July 30 (241,904 to 338,982), a 40% increase.

​ Nursing Homes at Risk

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) compiled a state-by-state breakdown of facilities meeting this criterion and assessed their access to vital PPE, including N95 masks, surgical masks, and gowns. 

​ COVID-19 Projections

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington provides state-by-state projections on Infections and Testing, Hospital Resource Use, and Social Distancing.  

​ White House Issues Warning to 11 Cities

The White House Coronavirus Task Force, issued the warning during a July 22 call with state and local leaders.   

​ COVID-19 Cases May Be Drastically Under-Reported

In some parts of the U.S., COVID-19 cases may be 6 to 24 times higher than reported figures, according to new antibody data from the CDC.    

​ Troubling Trends for COVID-19 Infection Rates

Johns Hopkins University of Medicine is tracking and updating key metrics in a Testing Trends Tool to help leaders make informed decisions about lifting measures that control disease transmission.

​ How Risky Is Opening the Mail? Going to a Bar?

The riskiness of everyday activities during the pandemic, from Low Risk: “opening the mail” to High Risk: “Going to a bar,”  was rated by physicians from the Texas Medical Association COVID-19 Task Force and the Committee on Infectious Diseases (BE INFORMED: Know Your Risk During COVID-19).    

​ COVID-19 In U.S. Prisions

The Marshall Project site provides  daily updates on the data for each state.  

​ Speed of COVID-19 Contagion, by State

This site provides state-by-state values for Rt — a measure of how fast the COVID-19 virus is spreading or slowing.   

​ Worldwide Tracker

This searchable snapshot of the COVID-19 crisis, updated daily, provides data down to the state or county level on COVID cases, deaths, and testing reports.

​ COVID-19 Projections

Analysis from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (COVID-19 Projections).    

​Federal Issues

​ Additional Aid to the States?

Stateside reports on how some states have had a windfall from the CARES Act, while others still face significant shortfalls.

​ Access to Federal Funds

For updates on States’ access to federal funds, see Federal Funds Information For States website and its section focused on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Note: Some pages require log-in).

​Re-opening Schools

​ Safely Reopening the Schools

Two Johns Hopkins professors offer a framework of 6 components that policy makers should consider embracing in order to create the conditions for successful school reopening. 

​General

​ Interstate Travel Restrictions

States seeking to impose interstate travel restrictions must navigate a very uncertain legal path, according to a recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine.

​ Mask Mandates, State by State

A newly published list of statewide orders regarding face coverings indicates that Minnesota, Ohio and Indiana are the latest states to issue mask mandates.

​ Social Bubble FAQ

Hawaii’s State Department of Health has published Social Bubble FAQ’s: Bubble Up Don’t Bubble Over as part of its COVID-19 guidance.

​ Re-opening Status of the States

A report tracking each state’s re-opening status, updated daily, is online now at The New York Times.

​ State Legislative Actions and Fiscal Projections

NCSL is providing state-by-state updates on operations of state legislatures, including remote sessions and adjournment or suspension of legislative sessions.  

​ COVID-19 Policy Tracker

State-by-state updates on legislative sessions, travel restrictions, “stay-at-home” orders, and official declarations are tabulated in the COVID-19 Policy Tracker from MultiState Associates.

​ 2020 Legislative Session Dates

Legislative session dates and deadlines are available on a downloadable chart provided by MultiState.

PREVIOUS Topics

​​ Economic Recovery

​​ COVID-19 Infection
and Testing

​​ Federal Issues

​​ Re-opening Schools

​​ General