Nashville, TN – Today, Thursday, April 2nd, 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee provided an update on Tennessee’s efforts regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) relief.
Governor Lee’s daily press conferences can be viewed live each day this week at 3:00pm CT here. Governor Lee has also established a website specific to Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates which can be found here.
Administration Actions
Executive Order 24
Governor Lee signed Executive Order 24 which includes the following provisions:
-Gives Commissioner of Health authority to allow post-degree, pre-licensed mental or behavioral health professionals to treat patients through telemedicine under the supervision of a licensed professional.
-Extends payment due date for the professional privilege tax from June 1st to July 1st.
-Suspends until July 1st the April 6th deadline for filing applications for property tax relief and tax freezes, so that elderly and other vulnerable populations will not have to visit public buildings to apply.
-Gives the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development the discretion to require a terminating employer’s information faster (within 4 days, rather than 7 days) in the unemployment benefits claims process, in order to speed up processing of benefits.
-Extends price gouging law for another 15-day period (it can only be invoked for 15 days at a time)
-Suspends expiration of marriage licenses, which normally happens within 30 days of obtaining the license if no ceremony is held, between March 12th and May 31st is until June 30th, so that those delaying their weddings because of Coronavirus (COVID-19) don’t have to pay for a new license.
-Suspends due dates for filing statements of interest with Tennessee Ethics Commission and Governor’s Office to July 15th, so that it is consistent with the federal tax return filing deadline.
-Extends deadline for previously certified law enforcement officers in Tennessee or another state that are beginning work as full-time law enforcement officers to complete certain introductory POST Commission courses.
-Extends due dates for driver license reinstatement installment payments for those on payment plans until June 17th.
-Provides flexibility for Tennessee Corrections Institute county jail plans in light of Coronavirus (COVID-19) conditions .
– Suspending the requirement that funds provided to the state at walk-in state service locations be deposited within 24 hours if needed to safeguard the health, welfare, and safety of state employees.
Current Department of Health Testing Results (as of 2 p.m. 4/3)
Laboratory Type | Positive Test | Negative Tests | Total |
State PH Lab | 317 | 2,065 | 2,832 |
Non-State PH Lab | 2,750 | 32,707 | 35,457 |
Total | 3,067 | 34,772 | 37,839 |
For more information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tennessee, please visit the Tennessee Department of Health’s website here.