Florida tackles state of emergency

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ATLHAASSEE – During a briefing at the State Emergency Operations Center, Governor DeSantis announced the following:

• Governor DeSantis announced that he would supplement federal loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA). The governor activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Loan Program. Up to $50 million has been allocated to the program. (To see: SBA Provides Loans to Small Businesses Affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Governor Ron DeSantis has directed the Department of Revenue to provide flexibility on the timing of taxes due, such as corporate income tax and sales tax, to help businesses that are adversely affected by the COVID-19 mitigation measures.
• Floridians across the state are lending a hand to stop the spread of COVID-19:
  • Members of the Florida House of Representatives were activated in their National Guard units,
  • The Players Championship donated thousands of pounds of food to Feeding Northeast Florida,
  • Miami-Dade County school administrators distribute computers and mobile devices, and
  • Comcast has agreed to provide free Wi-Fi for the next 60 days to children who don’t have it.
• The Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Orange County Convention Center have agreed to open their parking lots to organize supplies and locate testing sites.
• Restaurants across the state, including Jimmy John’s in Tallahassee and Toasted Restaurant in Orange County, are offering kids free lunch throughout the week.
• Drive-through testing sites are set to open, statewide, in addition to the first proposed state site at the Memorial Healthcare System in Broward. So far, sites are being developed in Myers, Pensacola, West Palm Beach and Tallahassee.
• Floridians who were held at Dobbins Air Reserve Base are on their way back to Florida; 15 Floridians chose to stay on base to care for family members.
• On March 9, Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52, declaring a state of emergency for COVID-19. By declaring a state of emergency, Governor DeSantis is ensuring state and local governments have the resources and flexibility they need to prepare and respond.

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