R.I.’s COVID-19 state of emergency extended through Aug. 6

GOV. DANIEL J. MCKEE on Thursday extended Rhode Island's COVID-19 state of emergency declaration through at least Aug. 6. /AP FILE PHOTO/STEVEN SENNE

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island could continue to be under a state of emergency for at least another month.

Gov. Daniel J. McKee signed a new executive order Thursday that extends the COVID-19 state of emergency until Aug. 6, “unless renewed, modified or terminated” by a subsequent order. The previous state of emergency order was expected to expire Friday.

McKee spokesperson Alana O’Hare on Friday told Providence Business News in an email that the underlying emergency declaration responds to both the pandemic and its after- effects. While the state has lifted several restrictions, including capacity limits for businesses, the remaining orders are “necessary to get people back to work, provide greater flexibility for participation in civic life, preserve valuable federal benefits and provide additional manpower to fulfill vital public services that are still needed to address the lingering effects of COVID-19,” O’Hare said.

O’Hare noted that the R.I. Department of Labor and Training still sees a “massive number” of pandemic-related unemployment insurance claims, and the ability to recall retirees to address those numbers is “critical.”

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“[R.I.] Department of Health retirees are still assisting with all aspects of the pandemic response and recovery, including vaccinations,” O’Hare said.

A recent report by WalletHub noted that Rhode Island’s initial unemployment claims for the week of June 21 recovered the least of any state since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, though, the RIDLT recently announced that individuals on unemployment and temporary disability insurance would be receiving more money in their checks starting after the July 4 holiday.

O’Hare also said quarantine and isolation tools are still needed to stop the virus spread, especially with the Delta variant present. The state of emergency is also needed for the state to receive emergency allotment increases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, O’Hare said. She said the state receives about $8.6 million a month in such benefits.

O’Hare said McKee continues to monitor the situation and will consider lifting the state of emergency “when those services are no longer deemed necessary.”

With the extension, Rhode Island will now enter its 18th month of being in a state of emergency since then-Gov. Gina M. Raimondo signed the first such executive order March 9, 2020.

The Ocean State is an outlier in the Northeast in keeping a state of emergency in place. Four New England states – Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire – as well as two states that were deemed the national COVID-19 epicenter, New York and New Jersey, have all ended their respective state-of-emergency declarations. Connecticut’s current declaration is through July 20.

Back in early spring, several municipal leaders spoke with PBN at the time calling into question whether the continued emergency declaration is necessary.

BLAKE A. FILIPPI, R.I. House minority leader, said that the state continuing the COVID-19 state of emergency undermines future disaster responses because the state is not currently in an emergency. /PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
BLAKE A. FILIPPI, R.I. House minority leader, said that the state continuing the COVID-19 state of emergency undermines future disaster responses because the state is not currently in an emergency. /PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

R.I. House Minority Leader Blake A. Filippi told PBN on Friday that the legal status of the state of emergency should only be used under the most dire circumstances. Continuing the COVID-19 state of emergency declaration in the Ocean State undermines future disaster responses because “it’s clear we’re not in an emergency,” Filippi said.

“When you’re out on Smith Hill, no one is in an emergency. People are going about their lives as if it’s normal,” Filippi said. “You can’t say ‘state of emergency’ when it’s not an emergency because, in the future when there is an actual emergency, people just aren’t going to take it seriously.”

Filippi also said the General Assembly has to act to extend executive orders if there’s an issue regarding a state of emergency, if said emergency goes beyond 180 days.

Filippi said the state of emergency can end in one of two ways: Either McKee ends it himself or the General Assembly can pass a concurrent resolution that can remove Rhode Island from a state of emergency.

“We [the Republicans] have been saying for the past six months that you can’t keep us in a state of emergency when it’s not a state of emergency,” Filippi said. “We’re happy to talk about it, but in order to a concurrent resolution, we need the Democratic ruling party … to realize what has been going on and how it’s been harmful.”

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Minority Leader Filipi is absolutely RIGHT!!! The State of RI is NOT in an emergency anymore. This state of emergency should have been lifted at least 2 months ago! Everyone needs to get back to normal and we need people to get back to work! WE ALL NEED WORKING PEOPLE!