BACKGROUND

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Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro reads the Proclamation for Pretrial, Probation, and Parole Supervision Week as Governor Ralph DLG. Torres and Judge Joseph N. Camacho look on. (July 18, 2022)

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill to aid public health and economic recovery during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ("COVID-19") pandemic. The plan included $350 billion in emergency funding for states, territories, and tribal governments: - to respond to the public health emergency with respect to the COVID-19 or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality. - to respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers of the State, territory, or Tribal government that are performing such essential work; - for the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue of such State, territory, or Tribal government due to the COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year of the State, territory, or Tribal government prior to the emergency; or - to make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure. On May 24, 2021, Governor Ralph DLG. Torres announced at the Judiciary's Law Day Proclamation Signing Ceremony his commitment to give the Judiciary $10 million in ARPA funds and potentially another $10 million in March 2022. The Judiciary's top priorities to respond to COVID-19 include sustaining judicial services on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota; retrofitting and improving facilities and infrastructure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and allow for social distancing, and enhancing technology for remote hearings and services.

TIMELINE