Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain
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In this issue:
• COVID-19 Resources: Small Businesses
• Online Legal Services Resources for COVID-19 Issues
• Update: Elective Procedures Health Mandate and Surgical Abortions
• Community Events
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we continue to face the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to share important resources and information via our e-newsletter. This week, our focus is on small businesses.
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relief for individuals, small business relief, relief for larger businesses, higher education, relief for upcoming mortgage/rent/utility payments, emergency sick leave, child welfare and nutrition, housing, and internet access.
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COVID-19 Resources: Small Businesses
The Small Business Administration has prepared a Guide for Small Business Owners to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The guide provides information on SBA programs including the Paycheck Protection Program, the Small Business Debt Relief Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and Emergency Economic Injury Grants. Below, we discuss a few of those resources in greater detail. Congress is negotiating a supplemental to negotiate these programs.
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The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
PPP is an SBA loan that helps businesses keep their workforce employed. SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. The PPP will be available through June 30, 2020. Click here for an overview of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the PPP from the Alaska Small Business Development Center.
The early response to the PPP loans has been substantial and Congress is working to appropriate more funds to support the program.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Emergency Economic Injury Grants
EIDLs are lower interest loans of up to $2 million that are available to pay for expenses that could have been met had the disaster not occurred, including payroll and other operating expenses. Under the CARES Act, businesses can also apply for an Emergency Economic Injury Grant of up to $10,000 within three days of applying for an EIDL. To access the advance, businesses must first apply for an EIDL and then request the advance. Click here for more information. In response to the large number of small businesses that have already applied, Congress is working to appropriate more funds to support the program.
Express Bridge Loan (EBL)
The EBL allows SBA Express Lenders authority to deliver expedited SBA-guaranteed financing on an emergency basis for disaster-related purposes to eligible small businesses, while the small businesses apply for and await long-term financing. Click here for a program guide.
Note: Those eligible to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) may also apply for the Express Bridge Loan (EBL). Applying for the EIDL and EBL still allows the applicant to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), however, the amount forgiven under PPP will be decreased by the EBL advance.
Additional Resources
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Online Legal Services Resources for COVID-19 Issues
Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) has been working hard to alleviate some of the stresses Alaskans are experiencing by compiling legal resources in one easy-to-navigate self-help website: AlaskaLawHelp.org. AlaskaLawHelp provides guidance and answers to many frequently asked questions pertaining to civil legal issues and COVID-19. The website covers a wide-range of topics specific to COVID-19 including: housing, domestic violence, unemployment, health, worker rights, debts, scams, public benefits, and stimulus checks.
With COVID-19 legal rights changing daily, AlaskaLawHelp.org is updated regularly with new resources, articles, and court documents. ALSC will also be posting links to new resources as they are added on ALSC's Facebook and Twitter pages.
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Update: Elective Procedures Health Mandate
and Surgical Abortions
The inclusion of surgical abortion—not endorsed by the American College of Surgeons—was a highly political provision that would cause significant harm to patients across Alaska. As a life-long supporter of every woman’s right to make their own, private health care decisions, no Alaskan should be forced to postpone time-sensitive care.
On Wednesday, April 15, Governor Dunleavy issued COVID-19 Health Mandate 015, which supersedes Mandate 005 on Elective Medical Procedures, Mandate 006 on Elective Oral Health Procedures, and affects health care providers directly addressed in Mandate 009 on Personal Care Services and Gatherings. While it is our current understanding that this new order lifts the previous restrictions on surgical abortion, the medical profession’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic must always include and consider the need for time-sensitive abortion care, especially because the pandemic has illuminated several weaknesses in our reproductive health care system. According to The New England Journal of Medicine, millions of women under quarantine or shelter-in-place orders may have reduced access to contraception; many ambulatory clinics have restricted or halted outpatient visits, including those for placement of contraceptive devices; women may have difficulty traveling safely to a pharmacy; and quarantine and shelter-in-place orders have increased intimate partner violence, which sometimes includes sexual coercion and assault that may result in unplanned pregnancies.
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Community Events
Mark your calendars for this upcoming event:
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CARES Act Q&A With a Local Team of Experts
This 90 minute webinar will be a Q&A with a local attorney, a lender, a Small Business Development Center representative, and a CPA. Each expert will present briefly on must-know information and pitfalls relevant to their area of expertise.
The webinar will focus primarily on questions surrounding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL).
Participants are encouraged to submit questions to panelists ahead of time, by typing them in the box provided when you register for the webinar.
When: Monday, April 20 from 11:00 AM — 12:30 PM
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Daily Briefings for Small Businesses
When: Monday - Friday at 2:00 PM
Join the Alaska Small Business Development Center Business Advisors for the latest updates in COVID-19 related news and resources (Emergency Loans, Unemployment, etc.) for small businesses. Participants will be able to ask the advisors and guests questions in real time to get the latest information and support.
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Hunker Down Anchor Town
When: Thursday at 4:00 PM
The Mayor is giving weekly community updates about the Municipality’s response to COVID-19.
The discussion is hosted by longtime Alaska broadcaster, Steve Heimel. Community members may ask the Mayor questions by calling 907-222-1061 during the show or tweeting @outnorthradio.
Listeners outside of the Anchorage area can listen online from anywhere by visiting outnorthradio.com/stream from a computer or smartphone.
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As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
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CONTACT INFORMATION
(907) 465-4919
State Capitol Bldg. Rm 118
Juneau, Alaska 99801
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CONTACT THE GOVERNOR
(907) 465-3500
550 West 7th Ave. Suite 1700
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
STATE OF ALASKA
State Info: (907) 269-5111
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CONTACT THE ADN
Write a Letter to the Editor
Submit your letter to the Anchorage Daily News via email or web form.
attn: Letters to the Editor
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