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Rhode Island Extends Unemployment Provisions for Employers Once More

Dated Jan. 7, 2021

Citations: Executive Order 20-111

SUMMARY BY TAX ANALYSTS

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) issued an executive order once again extending several previous orders in response to COVID-19, including an order from April 9, 2020, that increased access to unemployment insurance (UI) and provided tax relief for employers by charging the costs associated with laid-off employees receiving unemployment benefits to the state's balancing account and not to the employer's own UI account; the order is now in effect until January 28, 2021.

The original order had been most recently extended in mid-December 2020.

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION — EXTENSION OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS 20-06. 20-16, 20-17, 20-19, 20-70, 20-72, 20-94 AND 20-104

December 30, 2020

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-02 declaring a state of emergency due to the dangers to health and life posed by COVID-19 and that Order is in effect until at least January 20, 2021;

WHEREAS, on March 18, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-06 expanding access to telemedicine services and that Order has been extended until December 31, 2020;

WHEREAS, on April 6, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-16 authorizing waiver and Medicaid state plan amendments and adjustments to essential provider rates and that Order has been extended until December 31, 2020;

WHEREAS, on April 7, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-17 requiring testing, critical supplies and hospital capacity reporting and that Order has been extended until December 31, 2020;

WHEREAS, on April 9, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-19 increasing access to unemployment insurance and that Order has been extended until December 31, 2020;

WHEREAS, on September 2, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-70 allowing expanded hospital capacity as well as providing statutory immunity to hospitals and health care and other workers responding to the COVID-19 emergency and that Order has been extended until December 31, 2020;

WHEREAS, on September 2, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-72 on COVID-19 emergency regulations and that Order has been extended until December 30, 2020;

WHEREAS, on November 5, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-94 continuing to require cloth face coverings in public and that Order has been extended until December 31, 2020;

WHEREAS, on December 10, 2020, I issued Executive Order 20-104 amending the quarantine and isolation Order;

WHEREAS, despite progress in some key areas, the State continues to suffer from the effects of the pandemic and has experienced a recent spike in COVID-19 cases; and

WHEREAS, further aggressive efforts are necessary to control the spread of COVID-19 and to lessen the strain on our health care system.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GINA M. RAIMONDO, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Rhode Island, pursuant to Article IX of the Rhode Island Constitution and the Rhode Island General Laws, including, but not limited to, Title 30, Chapter 15, and Title 23, Chapter 8, do hereby extend the following Executive Orders:

1. Executive Order 20-06 (Fourth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Expanding Access to Telemedicine Services).

2. Executive Order 20-16 (Thirteenth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Authorizing Waiver and Medicaid State Plan Amendments and Adjustments to Essential Provider Rates).

3. Executive Order 20-17 (Fourteenth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Testing, Critical Supplies and Hospital Capacity Reporting).

4. Executive Order 20-19 (Sixteenth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Increasing Access to Unemployment Insurance).

5. Executive Order 20-70 (Sixty-Fifth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Hospital and Community-Based Health Care).

6. Executive Order 20-72 (Sixty-Seventh Supplemental Emergency Declaration — COVID-19 Emergency Regulations).

7. Executive Order 20-94 (Eighty-Ninth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Continuing to Require Cloth Face Coverings in Public).

8. Executive Order 20-104 (Ninety-Ninth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Amended Quarantine and Isolation Order).

This Executive Order shall take effect immediately and remain in full force and effect until January 28, 2021 unless renewed, modified or terminated by subsequent Executive Order.

Gina M. Raimondo
Governor

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