Federal news
S.4091 Emergency Aid for Returning Americans Affected by Coronavirus Act [became Public Law 116-148 on 7/13/2020]
Provides, “temporary assistance for U.S. citizens and their dependents who are returning from foreign countries due to a crisis and are without available resources,” including for medical care.
The Latest on Broadband Bills [American Libraries, 7/15/2020]
Bills include funding for hotspots, in particular, and other emergency library funding:
- The HEROES Act (HR6800)
- The Moving Forward Act (HR2)
- Accessible Affordable Internet for All Act (HR7302/SB4131)
- Library Stabilization Fund Act of 2020 (SB4181)
Also forthcoming in the Senate: HOTSPOTS Act
State news
From the Illinois Library Association:
“On August 7, 2020, a statewide mandate for people over age 2 to wear face coverings in public and maintain social distance of six feet where possible was announced, with penalties assessed to the business or institution if the rule is broken. On August 11, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a bipartisan committee of the Illinois General Assembly, voted to allow the rule to proceed. Libraries are once again not explicitly named in these rules, but a recent post on Ancel, Glink’s Municipal Minute notes that the rule applies to ‘Any business, service, facility, or organization open to the public or to employees.'”
A few bills being worked on currently that may be of interest:
- HB5823 – Police – No Military Equipment – https://legiscan.com/IL/bill/HB5823/2019
- HB0004 – Medicaid – Doula Services – https://legiscan.com/IL/bill/HB0004/2019
- HB0433 – Violence Health Crisis – https://legiscan.com/IL/bill/HR0433/2019