Governor Supports Emergency Leave for Public School Employees and Absentee Voting

Arkansas's cumulative COVID-19 cases jumped by more than a thousand today. Governor Asa Hutchinson announced the state received 1,011 positive test results in the last 24-hour monitoring period. There were also six additional deaths and nine additional hospitalizations. Fourteen counties reported at least 20 new cases. Pulaski County had 182 with a 100 cases originating at the correctional facility in Wrightsville. Sebastian County reported 43 new cases, Washington County had 41 and Benton County had 32. Today's briefing focused on the start of school and the upcoming elections. Hutchinson said he supports a proposal to set aside $20 million of CARES Act funding to provide financial support for teachers and staff who may need to quarantine during the school year. Secretary of Education Johnny Key said a COVID-19 emergency leave policy would allow all school employees to have access to paid leave before having to use personal sick days. If it's approved, the proposal would apply to staff like bus drivers and cafeteria workers. The governor also signed an executive order that supports absentee voting for those who have concerns about voting in person because of COVID-19. The order allows all 75 of Arkansas's county clerks to prepare the ballots for counting a week before Election Day without opening the envelopes, so on Nov. 3 the ballots can be counted faster. The counting itself can't begin until 8:30 a.m. on Election Day. To watch the full briefing, click here.