I. Governor Signs Order Allowing Electronic Submission and Signature of Initiatives and Referenda
Yesterday, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 132, allowing electronic petition submission and signature collection for initiatives and referenda. The Order requires county and municipal clerks to accept, in addition to hand delivery, electronic submission of initiative and referendum petitions. Clerks must also accept petitions with signatures collected via an online form.
For more information please see the League’s recent blog post.
Contact: Frank Marshall, Esq., Associate General Counsel, fmarshall@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x137.
II. Governor Issues Executive Order Reopening Parks
Yesterday Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 133 that will reopen golf courses and State parks for passive recreational activities effective Saturday, May 2 beginning at 6:00 a.m. The Executive Order details the activities that are permissive and prohibited at the State parks as well as parameters for visitors and employees. These same parameters apply to all county and municipal parks and counties and municipalities may impose additional restrictions.
In addition, the order establishes requirements on how golf courses can operate. Miniature golf courses, driving ranges and other places of amusement remain closed pursuant to Executive Order 107.
The order also opens up County parks, except those county parks closed prior to the effective date of Executive Order 118, which was April 7. Those closed prior to the Executive Order 118 can reopen by order of the County.
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Senior Legislative Analyst, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x112.
III. Possible Help for Seasonal Businesses
If your municipality hosts seasonal businesses, you might want to share this information with them.
The U. S. Department of the Treasury has issued final interim rules, effective immediately, designed to allow seasonal businesses to apply for forgivable loans, through the Payroll Protection Program (PPP). The rule is available on-line.
Specifically, provisions in the enabling legislation permit employers to calculate their maximum loan amount by using their monthly average payments for payroll during “the 12-week period beginning February 15, 2019, or at the election of the eligible [borrower], March 1, 2019, and ending June 30, 2019.”
Recognizing the disparate impact of that time-frame on seasonal employers, Treasury is exercising its administrative discretion by providing a seasonal employer the option of using any consecutive 12-week period between May 1, 2019 and September 15, 2019 for determining its maximum loan amount.
This interim final rule provides an alternative criterion for calculating the maximum loan amount for PPP loans issued to seasonal employers. Seasonal employers need timely additional guidance concerning the maximum loan available under the interim final rule, as the last day to apply for and receive a loan is June 30, 2020. The immediate effective date of this interim final rule will benefit seasonal employers by providing a full understanding of loan terms and conditions.
IV. Additional Resources for Local Citizens and Businesses
Please share this as you see fit.
Any individuals or families waiting for their Economic Impact Payments–the stimulus checks that most are entitled to–should visit visit the IRS “getmypayment” site. They may need to file an online application directing the U.S. Treasury on how to deliver their checks, via either direct deposit or the mail. A Spanish language version of that site is at the IRS Spanish-language coronavirus page.
Main Street businesses having difficulty gaining access to the Payroll Protection Program, which provides forgivable loans through various lenders and is designed to see them through the current crisis, can visit the Small Business Administration’s Payroll Protection Program page.
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