On December 17, 2020, the governor issued an emergency order requiring Marylanders to limit all travel to essential purposes only. All Marylanders who do travel outside of Maryland or any individuals who do travel to Maryland must either obtain a negative COVID-19 test result or self-quarantine for 10 days. This applies to all states, with the exception of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC.  Read the governor’s order and the companion health directives.

The following information was provided by the Maryland Department of Health on the MEMA Public-Private Partnership call on December 22, 2020.

"Hotels are not required to enforce the travel advisory or testing requirements for their guests.  However, hotels are encouraged to provide information and educational materials to inform their guests of what is required and how to get tested.  Ideally this would be done both at the time of booking as well as during check-in."

Additional information regarding the Executive Order is on the MHLA COVID-19 Resources page.

From the Maryland Department of Commerce:

As of December 17, Governor Hogan has announced additional $180 million in economic relief initiatives, to include $50 million for hotels and hospitality businesses; an additional $30 million for bars and restaurants; an additional $15 million for entertainment venues; and $5 million for rural businesses. For further information, please visit this resource page, as further details become available they will be provided there. 
 
The $30 million in additional funds for restaurants will be allocated to local jurisdictions in the form of a grant from the state and must be disbursed to businesses by no later than March 31, 2021. These grants can be used for working capital, such as rent, payroll, and job training, purchase of equipment and services to expand outdoor dining, such as tents, heaters, warmers, and carts, infrastructure improvements, such as HVAC system upgrades, technology to support carryout and delivery, purchase of PPE and disposable food containers or utensils, sanitation services, and any other costs as long as those costs are eligible for funding by the local jurisdiction. Applicants should check with their jurisdiction on the allowed uses for funds, as they will decide final criteria and guidelines.
 
The $50 million in relief for lodging establishments and hospitality will be allocated to local jurisdictions in the form of a grant from the state. These grants can be used for things such as payroll expenses, rent, and utilities in order to keep operations going while travel is restricted.  Applicants should check with their local jurisdiction on the allowed uses for funds, as they will decide final criteria and guidelines.
 
It is important to note that businesses MUST apply through their local jurisdiction for the hotel and restaurant funds. Counties are in the process of setting up their individual grant programs. To see if your county has launched their restaurant or lodging assistance program, please check here for updates. 
 
If you are looking for financial assistance, we encourage you to continue exploring county and federal funding options listed on the “financial assistance” section of our website. We are updating it as more programs are announced throughout the state. You may wish to explore these resources.
 

On December 17, 2020, Governor Hogan announced a total of $180M in new economic relief.  He stated the relief would include “$50M from our dedicated Emergency Rapid Response Fund to help hotels, motels and hospitality businesses across the state.  This sector was among the first to suffer and will be among the last to recover from the crisis.  According to recent projections 71% of hotels will not last more than six months at current projected revenue and occupancy levels.  This $50M in relief will be distributed by local jurisdictions to go towards payroll expenses, to keep people employed, and to assist with rent and utilities in order to help keep operations going while travel is restricted.”

The Governor's recent announcement of $50M is in response to the letter sent from MHLA to Governor Hogan and Secretary Schulz on November 20, 2020.  MHLA President & CEO Amy Rohrer stated, "I am grateful for Governor Hogan’s acknowledgement of the dire circumstances facing Maryland’s lodging industry and the announcement of $50M in dedicated relief for hotels, the majority of which are operated by small business owner/operators.  MHLA will continue to advocate for prioritization of hotels in the “much larger relief and stimulus package” referenced yesterday, to be proposed by the Administration and before the Maryland General Assembly when they reconvene next month."

​During the press conference Governor Hogan went on to state, “We are also providing another tranche of $30M to add to our successful relief program for restaurants, bringing that fund to $80M.  We will be pressing the county governments to immediately distribute this money to those small businesses that are most in need and once again we are calling on the county governments to match this state investment in order to help our struggling small businesses and restaurants, help them make it through the winter, and to keep as many people on the payroll as they possibly can.”

More information on yesterday’s press conference can be viewed here.

Contact the MHLA office for additional information.

On December 16, 2020, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge William Mulford approved a temporary restraining order and injunction prohibiting a county executive order to close restaurant dining. A hearing on the Motion for Preliminary Injunction is scheduled for December 28, 2020 at 9:00 A.M.

As a result, Anne Arundel County hotels with restaurant and/or banquet space may resume F&B service with adherence to restrictions laid out in Executive Order 38.  Key language that applies is below:
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(12) The total number of persons permitted indoor in Foodservice Establishments (as defined in Governor's Executive Order No. 20-11-17-01) shall not exceed 25% of the establishment's indoor Maximum Occupancy. The total number of persons permitted in temporary outdoor seating areas of Foodservice Establishments shall not exceed 75% of the establishment's indoor Maximum Occupancy. All Foodservice Establishments remain subject to the table spacing requirements and other protective requirements as set out in previous Local Executive Orders and Orders for Public Safety. All Foodservice Establishments must close to the public at 10:00 p.m. daily, except for carry out, delivery or drive-through service.

The information below was shared with us by the Maryland Bankers Association.
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The Small Business Administration released public data about Paycheck Protection Program borrowers—specifically, the borrowers’ names, addresses, exact loan amounts and who their PPP lenders were. This was done by court order following lawsuits brought by media organizations seeking the data.
 
Please note, your bank did not publicly disclose the data and played no role in the court decision. Banking industry commitment to protect customer privacy is paramount, and we follow all applicable laws and regulations.
 
Unfortunately, some third-party businesses are using information from the court-ordered data release to market themselves to PPP customers. These communications may reference your bank’s name and may even imply that there is some kind of relationship. You should be aware that your bank will communicate directly with you about your PPP loan and the forgiveness process. If you have any doubt, please call your lender directly.
The following website contains additional information you may find helpful: https://www.banksneveraskthat.com/