Texas COVID-19: New Rules For Notaries, Peace Officer Loan Repayment Assistance Program

Hays County releases regular updates on the number of confirmed cases and other local statistics related to COVID-19.

The county’s dashboard is updated twice on a daily basis to provide the latest information to keep residents informed.

As more and more communities around the United States push to reopen businesses, Governor Abbott signed his latest Executive Orders orders on April 17.

Abbott’s Executive Order GA-16 will take effect on April 24 and includes what services will start the state’s reopening process.

Executive Order GA-17 established the Strike Force to Open Texas—a team of nationally recognized medical experts and private and public leaders who will advise the Governor on safely and strategically reopening the state of Texas.

Executive Order No. GA-16 relating to the safe, strategic reopening of select services as the first step to Open Texas in response to the COVID-19 disaster.

Executive Order GA-16 “Reopened services” consists of;

• Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020, retail services that are not “essential services,” but that may be provided through pickup, delivery by mail, or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS. The DSHS requirements may be found at www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus.
• Such additional services as may be enumerated by future executive orders or proclamations by the governor.

Executive Order GA-17 creates the states new “Open Texas Strike Force“

The Governor’s Strike Force to Open Texas was created to advise the governor on safely and strategically restarting and revitalizing all aspects of the Lone Star State—work, school, entertainment, and culture.

The Strike Force will represent a collaboration among medical professionals and public and private leaders and have advisory duties, as well as any other advisory tasks assigned.

“Texans are battling a colossal challenge—an invisible enemy that has tested our lives and our livelihoods—but overcoming challenges is part of who we are as Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “We have shown that Texas can continue our efforts to contain COVID-19 while also adopting safe standards that will allow us to begin the process of reopening Texas. The Strike Force to Open Texas brings together nationally recognized medical experts with public and private sector leaders to achieve this mission. By coming together, we can get Texans back to work, practice safe standards that will prevent the spread of COVID-19, and we can overcome this pandemic.”

Governor Abbott Temporarily Allows For Appearance Before Notary Public Via Videoconference For Real-Estate Instruments

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has suspended a statute concerning appearance before a notary public to acknowledge real-estate instruments such as mortgages.

This suspension temporarily allows for appearance before a notary public via videoconference when executing such documents, avoiding the need for in-person contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conditions that will apply whenever this suspension is invoked can be found here.

“Texas is providing flexibility in the notarization process by way of this temporary suspension to ensure Texans can continue to stay home as much as possible to keep themselves and others safe,” said Governor Abbott. “Allowing for appearance before a notary public via videoconference will aid in our continued efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health.”

This suspension will remain in effect until the earlier of May 30, 2020, or until the March 13, 2020 disaster declaration is lifted or expires.

Documents executed while this suspension is in effect, and in accordance with its terms, will remain valid after the termination of this suspension.

THECB to launch Peace Officer Loan Repayment Assistance Program

Austin, Texas – Today the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board announces the upcoming September launch of a new loan repayment program benefitting recently appointed peace officers who have student loan debt.

Many law enforcement agencies have difficulty filling vacant positions. In June 2019, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law SB 16 (86th Texas Legislature) authorizing the Peace Officer Loan Repayment Assistance Program (POLRAP) to provide an incentive for Texans to pursue law enforcement careers and remain on the job to help pay off their student loan debt.

The legislation defines “peace officer” in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, which describes 35 distinct positions and roles.

To be eligible to apply for loan repayment assistance through POLRAP, an initial applicant must have been initially appointed as a full-time peace officer on or after Sept. 1, 2019, have completed at least one year of employment as a full-time peace officer in Texas, and have earned at least 60 credit hours at an eligible Texas higher education institution prior to initial appointment as a peace officer.

Upon admittance to the POLRAP, recipients will receive an initial award based on their one year of prior service. A successful applicant may receive up to $20,000 in loan repayment assistance over a period of five years ($4,000 annually or one-fifth of the outstanding loan balance, whichever is less).

Awards are contingent on available funding. In the initial year of the program, applications will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis until funds are no longer available.

After the initial program year, priority will be given to prior year recipients and initial applications will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis until funds are no longer available.

Additional program requirements are posted on the POLRAP webpage. The Coordinating Board anticipates posting the online application in September.

Governor Abbott Issues Disaster Declaration For Six Texas Counties Following Severe Weather

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today issued a disaster declaration for six Texas counties as a result of severe weather sustained across the Lone Star State last week.

The Governor has authorized the use of all available resources of state government and of political subdivisions to aid in response efforts.

“This disaster declaration will help the State of Texas provide local officials with the resources they need to respond to the aftermath of these storms,” said Governor Abbott. “Our hearts continue to be with those who were affected by these destructive storms, and the state is committed to working alongside these communities throughout the recovery process.”

This declaration includes Jasper, Lamar, Newton, Polk, Red River, and San Jacinto counties.

Read Governor Abbott’s full declaration. 

Governor Abbott Appeals FEMA Denial Of Major Disaster Declaration For North Texas Tornadoes

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the State of Texas has appealed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial of Texas’ Major Disaster Declaration request for Public Assistance for Dallas and Erath Counties following severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes during the period of October 20-21, 2019.

The Governor sent a letter to FEMA asking the federal government to reverse their decision and provide much-needed assistance to local governments and non-profits for infrastructure and recovery efforts.

During that two-day period, ten confirmed tornadoes ripped through North Texas, causing significant damage and fully exhausting diminished state resources.

When Governor Abbott initially requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance in January 2020, FEMA certified eligible damages of approximately $18 million, under the state threshold.

Over the last six months, however, the Dallas Independent School District hit hard by these tornadoes, has provided additional information on their insurance review totaling over $27 million in uninsured damages.

This brings the total estimated damages for this event to over $45.6 million — far exceeding the state threshold for FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program.

“The people of Texas are resilient and will continue to prepare, respond, recover, and mitigate against disasters — but federal assistance is needed for the communities impacted by these storms in order to expedite this process,” said Governor Abbott. “I respectfully ask FEMA to reconsider their decision and provide this crucial support to the people of Dallas and Erath Counties.”

Governor Abbott, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Announce Free Online Training For Child Care Providers During COVID-19 Response

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service today announced a series of free online trainings for child care providers and parents who are either in need of, or who will be providing care for, children of essential employees throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first three trainings are available on Texas A&M AgriLife’s online learning platform. 

Additional free training sessions will be rolled out incrementally and will address health and safety guidelines, practices for staffing, essential materials for child care operations, developmentally appropriate activities, adult-child interactions, and more.

Trainings will also address topics such as emergency management planning, stress management and self-care for caregivers, planning at-home activities for children, parent-child communication, and supporting children’s emotional needs. Additionally, Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott provided an introductory video for the child care training sessions.

“These trainings provide crucial health and safety information to parents and child care providers affected by the COVID-19 response, and ensure that providers and parents alike have the tools they need to effectively care for young Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “I am grateful for this ongoing collaboration with our public and private partners to support Texans throughout this challenging time.”

“AgriLife Extension has long been a leader in providing practical, research-based, objective information to the people of Texas so we are very well positioned to help them address various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AgriLife Extension director Jeff Hyde, Ph.D. “I’m proud that we were able to develop these trainings to help support the Texas Frontline Child Care Task Force in providing important information and assistance to essential employees and their children during this difficult time.”

“In my role leading the Frontline Child Care Task Force and as chair of the Texas A&M Board of Regents, I knew the people in AgriLife Extension not only had the knowledge and expertise needed to develop these online trainings, they also had credibility with child care providers,” said Texas Frontline Child Care Task Force Chair Elaine Mendoza said. “I asked Dr. Stephen Green, head of AgriLife Extension’s Family and Community Health Unit, to put together a team of early childhood experts from his agency and any state agencies that could advise and support them in developing a series of trainings.”

These online training courses were developed through a collaboration between the Governor’s Texas Frontline Child Care Task Force, specialists in child and early child development, health, disaster assessment and recovery, and family economics from AgriLife’s Family and Community Health Unit.

It also included experts from the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Children’s Learning Institute, Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and Texas Department of State Health Services. 

The first three trainings available now are:

• Special Considerations for Infection Control During COVID-19
• High-Quality Emergency Child Care During COVID-19
• When & How to Provide Child Care During COVID-19