Gov. Abbott Press Conference April 13, 2020

TAHP would like you to be aware that the Governor issued two executive orders since Friday:

• Governor Abbott Extends Disaster Declaration For COVID-19 (4/12/20) • Governor Abbott Eases Regulations On Physicians-In-Training To Increase Health Care Capacity In Texas (4/11/20)

On April 13, 2020 at 11:30am CST, Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a press conference to announce a new small business initiative in Texas.

View the Governor’s press release on the small business initiative here. View the full press conference here.

11:34am – Press conference begins via videoconference.

Gov. Abbott introduces those who are on the call. The governor is joined by Janie Barrera, president and CEO of LiftFund and John Waldron, president and COO of Goldman Sachs. As well as, Brent Reaves, owner of Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que in Dallas, Patricia and Clint Butler, owners of Coffeecionado Community Roasters in San Antonio, and Michele and Mitch Allen, owners of iRun Texas in San Antonio.

We cannot the impact economically that COVID-19 has caused. Texans need relief so they can provide for their families. We must continue to do all possible to ensure the health and safety of all Texans. Later this week, Gov. Abbott will outline safe and healthy strategies for reopening the economy.

Goldman Sachs is providing $50 million in loans for small businesses affected by COVID-19 as part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). $25 million is due to a collaboration between Goldman Sachs and the LiftFund. We want Texans on payroll not laid off. These PPP loans will ensure these Texans stay employed.

Brent Reaves: In 2011, Goldman Sachs brought the 10,000 small businesses program to Texas. As a program graduate, it changed the way I ran my business. Now, it is certain they are stepping up to provide capital in this time of great need.

John Waldron: LiftFund is a leading community financial institution that we are proud to work with. The intersection of the public and private sector has been a critical part of dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. Goldman Sachs has long recognized that small businesses are a vital part of the economy. Small businesses employ nearly half of the American workforce. We are thrilled that over 1200 Texans have graduated from the program since 2011. We have seen firsthand the determination and resilience of small business owners across Texas. We are committing $50 million in loans to small businesses across the state. This is part of a $550 million commitment to administer funding for small businesses across the country. These emergency funds will be made available via the LiftFund through the PPP.

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH PLANS www.tahp.org Gov. Abbott Press Conference–April 13, 2020 (512) 476-2091 Jamie Dudensing, CEO [email protected]

Janie Barrera: LiftFund is a Community Developed Financial Institution (CDFI). We are not a bank, but we are supported by financial institutions like Goldman Sachs. We are going live today with the support of Goldman Sachs and the State of Texas for the PPP. We hope it will keep small businesses alive. Find it at: www.liftfund.com.

Barrera introduces the Butlers and Allens who will be the first to benefit from this partnership to provide PPP loans in Texas.

Gov. Abbott thanks them for their participation and help to stimulate the Texas economy. Video conference ends.

Gov. Abbott is now joined by Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt and Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd.

Gov. Abbott: We want to ensure that small businesses will not have to shut down or eliminate payrolls for their employees. This capital will provide these companies the funding they need until businesses begin the process of opening back up.

Our primary goal is to ensure that we are reducing the spread of the virus. As of earlier today, there are now more than 133,000 Texans tested for COVID-19. 13,827 tested positive. 1176 are hospitalized. 286 fatalities. 2,269 Texans who had tested positive but are now categorized as recovered.

Yesterday was the lowest number of people that tested positive in a week. Similarly, in Texas, the number of people who tested positive was the lowest in a week. It seems as though Sunday is the lowest day in the week for those who tested positive. If those trends continue, it will truly mean that Texas is moving in the right direction of bending the curve. It is too early to make that call.

1176 is the lowest number of people hospitalized in the week. Even though we’ve lost more Texans, the good news that the number of deaths reported yesterday was a three-day low. The growth trend line of cumulative cases in Texas has decreased. As it concerns recoveries, Texas ranks second highest in the nation. We are continuing to see good news in our ability to provide more PPE to facilities across the state. We have distributed 4,459,000 masks, 175,000 face shields, 2,575,000 gloves, and 11,000 gowns this past week.

So many Texans have lost jobs and there has been a record number of Texans applying for unemployment benefits. The Texas Workforce Commission has been working to process claims. 1,130,000 claims have been paid; the amount paid equals $4 million. With the increased amount of resources provided to the TWC, we have a heightened ability to provide Texans the benefits they need.

Question and Answer

Q: Timeline for reopening the economy? A: We are releasing a plan later this week to how we will reopen. We will provide strategies on which businesses can open up. We have to understand that we must reopen in a way that we stimulate the economy by containing the spread.

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH PLANS www.tahp.org Gov. Abbott Press Conference–April 13, 2020 (512) 476-2091 Jamie Dudensing, CEO [email protected]

Q: Dr. Fauci has talked about a staged reentry but ensuring strategic testing capacity. Do we have that? A: We will ensure adequate testing. Right before I came in here, I was on a call with VP Pence and Dr. Birx. They discussed the testing supplies and testing strategies to use for this process. We will go more in detail about this later this week.

Q: Conversations with the President? Are they providing guidance? A: We maintain constant contact with the White House about these and other strategies. This is something where there is something unusual or new from the Governor’s. The White House teams have been communicating with the Governor’s for weeks now. We have discussed how we are working in collaboration to safely open up the expansion of economic development.

Q: Was the president asking you council or providing you guidance? A: Both. They understand the states are varied. There will be flexibility between and within states, if needed. We will need to maintain flexibility based on the containment data.

Q: If we get to a point where it gets worse again, how do we enforce this? A: We will go over that later, but our plan is created around containing spread of the virus. The Executive Order will have the effective law so that only certain businesses can be opened up.

Q: Guidance on schools? A: There will be an announcement on that this week.

Q: Attorney General Paxton interpreted that your executive order regarding nonessential surgeries to include abortions. Did it go too far? A: The 5th circuit agreed with the decision made.

12:06pm – Press conference ends.

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH PLANS www.tahp.org Gov. Abbott Press Conference–April 13, 2020 (512) 476-2091 Jamie Dudensing, CEO [email protected]