The Rozenboom Report by Senator Ken Rozenboom – April 3, 2020
by Ken Rozenboom
In normal times this would have been our twelfth week of the legislative session. But these aren’t normal times. Instead we have all been in our home districts talking with our constituents on the phone and reading your emails and messages. We are also working with Governor Kim Reynolds and leaders across the state to slow the spread of COVID-19 and limit the damage to businesses and families in Iowa.
On April 2, Governor Reynolds ordered Iowa schools closed until the end of April. Legislative leaders also decided it was best we further suspend the session until April 30, still following the guidance of the Centers of Disease Control and Iowa Department of Public Health.
As we continue to work through this pandemic, please know there are many resources available to those who need them. The 24/7 hotline for all COVID-19 related questions can be reached at 2-1-1 or 1-800-244-7431. Additionally, a legal information hotline for COVID-19 related legal matters, like eviction, the denial of unemployment benefits, or employer-employee issues, is available at 1-800-332-0419.
Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Workforce Development continue to update their website with information, especially with the recent passage of the CARES Act at the federal level. If you are looking for information or updates, I encourage you to visit their websites at www.iowabusinessrecovery.com and www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov/covid-19. The Iowa Department of Education also released a number of resources for families to support learning at home during this period. Those can be found at https://educateiowa.gov/pk-12/resources-support-learning-during-covid-19.
For our small business owners with less than 500 employees the SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) enrollment starts April 3. The SBA Paycheck Protection Program will be funded through local banks. For more information and to enroll please go to Treasury.gov/cares for the application form and guidance. The PPP authorizes $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. Starting April 3, small businesses and sole proprietorships can apply. Starting April 10, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply. I encourage you to apply as quickly as possible because there is a funding cap.
I want to thank all those who have been working during this pandemic. Our nurses, doctors, and health care workers are on the front line in this battle, helping those who are sick, sometimes at the risk of their own health and families. Please pray for them and support them any way you can.
Many other people continue to work to ensure Iowans still have access to food, medicine, and other essential items, while many are working from home.
Iowans have always been strong, especially in the face of difficulty and challenge. All over our state, Iowans have been stepping up to help each other and bring each other comfort. Facing uncertainty is hard, but we are all in this together. We will get through this, and when we do, our state will be even stronger. If you have questions, concerns or need anything else, please do not hesitate to call or email me.
