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COVID-19 Business Resources

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COVID-19 Resources

Our community is united. The Terrell Chamber continues to serve as the advocate for local businesses and a champion for a stronger Terrell. Please reach out to share your input and ideas as we work to serve you and other businesses in our community.

Have a document or link to add to this page? Please send it to talana@terrelltexas.com.

PRINT a COVID-19 Prevention flyer OR an 11x17 poster to display at your business per the reopening guidelines from the State. (Spanish flyer | Spanish poster)

State, County & Local Latest Actions

Visit the Open Texas website for always up-to-date information and checklists for reopening Texas.

7/2/2020: Governor Abbott Establishes Statewide Face Covering Requirement. The requirement states that every person in Texas shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household. There are some exceptions. Read the full proclamation. 

7/2/2020: Governor Abbott Issues Proclamation to Limit Gatherings to no more than 10 People, with exceptions. Read the full proclamation. 

6/29/2020: Kaufman County passes an order requiring all commercial business entities must develop and health and safety policy. The policy must require at a minimum that employees and visitores over the age of 10 wear a face covering when social distancing is not possible. Read the release.

6/26/2020: Governor Abbott Takes Executive Action To Contain Spread Of COVID-19, which required bars to close again on Friday, 6/26 and restaurants to drop back to 50% occupancy on 6/29. Outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people must be approved by local governments. Read the full GA-28 order.

6/3/2020: Governor Abbott Announces Phase 2 to Reopen Texas, which states that every business establishment in Texas shall operate at no more than 50 percent of the total listed occupancy of the establishment, with some exceptions. Also, effective immediately restaurants may begin seating tables of up to 10 individuals and beginning on 6/12, restaurants can increase to 75% of max occupancy. Read the full GA-26 order.

5/18/2020: Governor Abbott Announces Phase 2 to Reopen Texas, which includes reopening day cares, personal care services, and bars, as well as others. Effective this Friday, 5/22 restaurants can operate at 50% total occupancy.  Read the full GA-23 order.

5/5/2020: Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order to Reopen Additional Businesses in Texas, including salons, barber shops, tanning salons. Businesses must follow guidelines. Wedding services and receptions at venues can resume at 25% capacity. The order also states that gyms, manufacturing facilities and offices can reopen with limitations on May 18. Read the full executive order.

4/27/2020: Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order to Reopen Texas that allows restaurants, retailers, malls and theaters to reopen on May 1 at 25% capacity. Museums and libraries can also reopen at 25% capacity, but hands-on/interactive exhibits must remain closed. Barbers, salons, bars and gyms must remain closed. Read the plan, which includes checklists for businesses and customers.

4/17/2020: Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order Establishing Strike Force To Open Texas. He also issued orders that:

  • Establish a temporary "Retail-To-Go" model that will allow retail outlets in Texas to reopen beginning Friday, April 24. Read guidelines for retail-to-go.
  • Mandate schools — including public, private, and higher education institutions — will remain closed for the 2019-2020 school year. Teachers may go into the classroom for video instruction, to perform administrative duties, and to clean out their classrooms.
  • Loosens restrictions on surgeries put in place by Governor Abbott in March. Beginning at 11:59pm on April 21 through 11:59pm on May 8, all licensed health care professionals and all licensed health care facilities must continue to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not medically necessary to diagnose or correct a serious medical condition of, or to preserve the life of, a patient who without timely performance of the surgery or procedure would be at risk for serious adverse medical consequences or death as determined by a patient's physician. Read full order and exceptions.
  • Directed state parks to reopen on Monday, April 20 with strict guidelines to reduce transmission of COVID-19 – including requiring visitors to wear face coverings, maintain a six-foot distance from individuals outside of their party, and prohibiting the gathering of groups larger than five.

3/31/2020: Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, extends social distancing measures through April 30; closes schools until May 4.

Kaufman County Issues Shelter In Place Order, effective 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, 3/25/2020 through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, 4/8/2020.

Terrell City Council passed Resolution 964, which extends the state of disaster for the City, adopts the Kaufman County Shelter-In-Place Order, gives the City Manager authority to make determinations on "essential businesses", and enforces daily purchasing quantity limits. You can read the resolution here. 

Funding and Loan Assistance

NOTICE: Paycheck Protection Program has Reopened. The Paycheck Protection Program resumed accepting applications July 6, 2020, at 9:00 AM EDT in response to President signing the program's extension legislation. The new deadline to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan is August 8, 2020. Read more, or find a lender. 
On 6/3/2020 Senate Passed bill H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act. It now goes to President Trump for approval. Under this bill, businesses would have more time to use their loan money beyond the initial eight-week timeline — which some local businesses that are prohibited from opening their doors have said did not work for them — and still qualify for loan forgiveness. It would also expand how much of the money would have to be spent on payroll costs. Read details in this article from Journal of Accountancy.
On Monday, 4/14/2020 Governor Abbott announced forgivable loans for small businesses in Texas. 

CARES Act & Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

On March 27, the federal CARES Act was signed into law, providing over $2.2 trillion in federal stimulus spending to aid the U.S. economy. One of the most important aspects is the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Read the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Guide to PPP Loan Forgiveness.

Read the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's guide on CARES Act and PPP for Small Businesses.

Read the U.S. Chamber's guide to the Coronavirus Emergency Loans for Small Businesses.

Read Texas Hotel & Lodging Association's breakdown of the PPP.

How to Apply: these loans will be available through SBA-approved private lenders beginning 4/3/2020. See the following for details on what is needed, application and loan calculator.

Locally, American National Bank and Texas Bank & Trust are approved lenders. Below are links to three items provided by ANB for the loan process.

PPP Application Package

PPP Application Form

PPP Calculator

There is also an employee retention tax credit available as part of the CARES Act. Read the U.S. Chamber's Guide for Impacted Businesses.

SBA Texas' Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) Loan Application

On 3/20/2020, Governor Abbott announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has now granted Texas’ Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) assistance declaration, making loans available statewide to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Next Steps: Small businesses who believe they may be eligible for an SBA EIDL should visit the SBA’s website where they can directly apply for assistance. The online application is the fastest method to receive a decision about loan eligibility.

Read the U.S. Chamber's Guide to SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

Main Street Lending Program

On April 9, 2020, the Federal Reserve announced the creation of a Main Street Business Lending Program. The program will support small and mid-sized businesses that were in good financial standing before the public health crisis. This facility will ensure credit flows to small and mid-sized businesses that may not have been supported through the Paycheck Protection Program or the Fed’s other lending facilities.

Grant Opportunities

Many of the grant opportunities that we previously shared have now closed and been removed from this list. If we learn of new grant opportunities, we will post them here.

Other Resources

Legislation

Status of the stimulus bills:

State

Social Media Groups

Partner Agencies

Employee/HR References

References:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
SCORE
  • SCORE has chapters throughout Texas and provides in-person and virtual counseling and mentorship. They have also published resources and information to support small business, including: 
Print & Post:

COVID Cleaning & Sanitation

Below are a few local Chamber members who can sanitize and disinfect your office to protect your employees.

Education

Other

Communities & Individuals

Communities

Families/Individuals: 

 

 

QUICK LINKS

State, County & Local Latest Actions

Funding and Loan Assistance

Legislation

Office of the Governor

Social Media Groups

Partner Agencies

Employee/HR References

Education

Other

Communities & Individuals 

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