STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

EXECUTIVE ORDER 2020-15

Whereas, An outbreak of the severe acute respiratory disease, COVID-19, which is caused by the person -to-person spread of the novel coronavirus, has been declared a public health emergency and pandemic by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and,

Whereas, The President of the United States of America declared that the COVID-19 outbreak constitutes a national emergency; and,

Whereas, The CDC bas issued guidance to all state and local governments and all citizens recommending preparedness, response, and mitigation to prevent community spread and guard against the COVID-19 outbreak; and,

Whereas, The State Emergency Operations Center and the National Guard have been activated to support the State' s response to COVID-19, along with the activation of local emergency operations centers in several South Dakota counties and in the City of Sioux Falls; and,

Whereas, The impending threat of COVID-19 is a public health emergency requiring the State to deploy substantial resources, to involve every state agency to help mitigate the impact of COVID - 19 in oar state, and to implement the emergency powers of the governor to protect the health and safety of South Dakotans; and,

Whereas, A State of Emergency was declared by Executive Order 2020-04 to exist in all counties in the State of South Dakota on March 13, 2020 and that declaration expires April 12, 2020, unless extended in writing; and

Whereas, The conditions of this emergency continue to persist and pose a danger to the public health and safety in all of South Dakota and impact the daily lives of our citizens, health care systems, businesses, and the function of state and local governments:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, KRISTI NOEM, Governor of the State of South Dakota, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of this State, including but not limited to SDCL 34- 48A, do hereby declare that a state of emergency continues to exist within the State of South Dakota and hereby order and direct the following:

Section 1 Declaration. I do hereby declare that a State of Emergency continues to exist in all counties in the State of South Dakota, and l direct the plans and procedures of the State Emergency Operations Plan continue to be implemented. State agencies and departments are directed to utilize state resources and to do everything reasonably possible to assist efforts to respond to and recover from this emergency.

Section 2 Oversight. I direct and order that the South Dakota Department of Health, by and through the secretary, has continuing authority and oversight of measures to control and contain the spread of COVID-19. and other agencies to identify and utilize appropriate s-1ate personnel and resources for conducting necessary and ongoing incident related assessments.

Section 3 Resources. I direct and order the Department of Health and any other agency of the State of South Dakota to continue to seek and accept any funding or other resources from any entity, governmental or private. to treat, control, and stop.th e spread of COVID-l9.