Inslee extends 26 proclamations related to in-person services during COVID-19 pandemicFree

Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced the extension of 26 of the state’s COVID-19 proclamations, including those that involve requirements for nursing home transfers, health care workers, unemployment insurance and medical appointments.

Democratic and Republican legislative leaders approved the extensions within the past week, allowing the proclamations to remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. Oct. 1, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

In the proclamations, Inslee again states he’s exercising his emergency powers to prohibit certain activities or waive and suspend laws and regulations during a state of emergency.

For example, in one renewed proclamation, he waives some administrative requirements to license child care providers and other programs within the Department of Child, Youth and Families in order to increase the availability of the services, the proclamation says.

In another, Inslee suspends statutes related to in-person eye exams, as well as renewals of driver’s licenses and ID cards.

He also extended an order that would allow nursing homes’ abilities to speed up the transfer process for their residents who need to move to other long-term care facilities for COVID-19 related reasons, saying that it would “protect the life, health and safety of those members of our most vulnerable populations.”

According to the Wednesday statement, Inslee also extended eight other proclamations until Sept. 30.

In addition, the Washington State Department of Corrections is expected to provide a six-month update on its current status and overall agency response to COVID-19 on Thursday.