Gov. Jared Polis has issued four executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including another 30-day extension of the state’s disaster emergency.

Polis issued the first disaster emergency order verbally on March 10 and in writing, at the request of lawmakers, on March 11. Saturday’s executive order, D2020 264, extends the disaster declaration for another 30 days.

Polis also extended an executive order directing the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to provide $375 per person in one-time only relief to those facing unemployment due to the pandemic. That order, D2020 262, was issued on Nov. 26, and it does not provide any additional dollars for those payments.

Also issued Saturday: D2020 265, related to public health orders issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This puts into executive order the changes made by CDPHE to the state’s dial framework, creating a new level – purple – that designates counties at “extreme risk,” which could lead to lockdowns.

As of Saturday, no counties are in the “extreme risk” category, although 25 counties are at the red, or “severe risk,” category. That requires restaurants to cease offering indoor dining and other capacity restrictions for gyms, restaurants and bars that serve food.

Two regions of the state, in the San Luis Valley and in southeastern Colorado, now report that they have no available intensive care unit beds. Southwestern Colorado has one available to serve its six counties and the Ute Mountain Ute reservation. The Western region, also six counties, reported it has three ICU beds open, out of 18. 

An executive order issued Friday – D2020 263 – provides an extension to the Secretary of State’s office to continue 2020 election activity “safely and without interruption while minimizing the risk of spreading COVID-19.”

According to the Secretary of State’s election calendar, 2020 election activities still to be completed include: 

• Automatic recounts for the 2020 general election (which must be ordered by Nov. 30). Automatic recounts must be completed by Dec. 8; 
• Requests by interested parties for recounts tied to the 2020 general election and which must be paid for by the requestor, due Dec. 1. Those recounts must be completed by Dec. 10.

Polis has issued 265 “D” executive orders, all but about 30 related to COVID-19.