Hagåtña, Guam – Today, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero signed Executive Order 2021-11, establishing a new All RISE Program to provide aid to more Guam residents. The All RISE Program expands the eligibility of Public Law 35-136, otherwise known as the Recovery Income Support and Empowerment (RISE) Act, to include local and federal government employees and retirees during the tax year 2020.
Efforts are underway to identify the total amount needed to implement the All RISE Program. Once the amount is determined, the Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT) will implement the program within thirty (30) working days of identification of the required funds. As outlined in P.L. 35-136, eligible individuals will be required to register with DRT.
“While I support the intent of the original RISE Act, the law expressly excluded individuals who had been employed by either the federal or local governments at any time during the 2020 tax year. Unfortunately, this excluded members of our community who spent even just part of the year in government employment, including members of the Guam National Guard who were on military orders and individuals employed in the Department of Labor’s displaced worker programs,” said Governor Leon Guerrero. “Ultimately, aid to more families will have a greater impact on the financial well-being of our community.”
Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio added, “By providing this aid, we propel more families forward from this unprecedented pandemic, bridging the gap between pandemic response and recovery so we can build back better and stronger. Our administration continues to look out for our most vulnerable, including our manåmko’ and retirees, many of whom incurred additional costs during this pandemic due to their health and increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.”
Expansion of the parameters of P.L. 35-136 is possible with funds received last week from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. States and territories, however, currently await the final rule from the U.S. Treasury on parameters for the use of the funds.
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