,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ejgc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #ai1 #bjbj,mr4 ,scott of ,florida introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to establish a program to support county and municipal government entities in reducing the spread of ,,covid-#ai through standardized testing and evaluation measures1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,set ,testing and ,objectives ,plan for ,,covid-#ai ,act or the ,,stop ,,covid-#ai ,act4 #b4 ,program for ,,covid-#ai testing1 contact tracing1 and other efforts to reduce the spread of ,,covid-#ai 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services 7referred to in this section as the ,secretary7 shall establish a program to award grants to county and municipal government entities1 to support ,,covid-#ai testing1 contact tracing1 and other efforts to reduce the spread of ,,covid-#ai in such counties and municipalities4 7b7 ,eligible entities ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this section1 a county or municipal government entity shall-- 7#a7 have a public health department2 and 7#b7 submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including the entity's operational plan and proposed uses of the grant funds4 7c7 ,technical support ,the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance to the public health department of government entities awarded a grant under this section4 7d7 ,use of funds ,grants awarded under this section may be used in support of programs to increase ,,covid-#ai testing and to reduce the spread of ,,covid-#ai1 which may include hiring staff for ,,covid-#ai testing centers1 funding mobile testing centers1 hiring contact tracers1 purchasing ,,it equipment1 conducting public awareness campaigns1 and paying for ,,covid-#ai testing or testing related equipment4 7e7 ,requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,each government entity receiving a grant under this section shall-- 7,a7 develop a data-driven program for ,,covid-#ai testing1 contact tracing1 and other efforts to stop the spread of ,,covid-#ai2 7,b7 operate a searchable1 publicly available website that lists every participating ,,covid-#ai ,,pcr testing center in the jurisdiction and1 with respect to each such center1 state-- 7i7 whether testing is free or the cost of such testing2 7ii7 whether health insurance covers the testing1 and1 if so1 what information health insurers will require before providing such coverage2 and 7iii7 the average time to obtain a test result2 and 7,c7 report weekly on the metrics described in subsection 7f77#a71 for each neighborhood established under paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 identifying any neighborhood for which there is nonattainment on any such metric during the applicable reporting period2 and 7ii7 describing the specific mitigation measures planned for any such neighborhood to reach attainment1 including a description of the measures required under subsection 7g77#b74 7#b7 ,neighborhoods 7,a7 ,in general ,for purposes of meeting the requirements under paragraph 7#a71 each government entity receiving a grant under this section shall divide its jurisdiction into neighborhoods1 with each neighborhood being an area with approximately #aj1jjj residents4 7,b7 ,provision of information on map ,each government entity shall make available a map of the total jurisdiction that illustrates the neighborhoods established pursuant to subparagraph 7,a71 and shall provide the information required under paragraph 7#a7 by neighborhood4 7,c7 ,designation of particular neighborhoods ,with respect to any neighborhood that has not met the evaluation standards described in subsection 7f77#b7 for a weekly reporting period under subsection 7f77#a71 the entity shall highlight such nonattainment on the map1 in a manner to notify public users of areas not meeting the evaluation standards4 7f7 ,evaluation standards 7#a7 ,in general ,the standards for purposes of determining compliance under paragraph 7#b7 are as follows3 7,a7 ,positivity rate 7i7 ,a positivity rate at or below #e percent for ,,pcr testing4 7ii7 ,a rate of newly infected residents at or below #aj residents per #ajj1jjj population4 7iii7 ,,pcr testing at or above #gej residents per #ajj1jjj population4 7iv7 ,rate of infection of less than #a4j4 7,b7 ,contact tracing 7i7 ,eighty percent of new cases of infection are contacted by a contact tracer within #bd hours4 7ii7 ,eighty percent of new cases of infection identify contacts4 7iii7 ,at least a median of #c contacts identified by a contact tracer per case4 7iv7 ,eighty percent of new cases followed up on1 on a daily basis1 by a contact tracer until the subject is out of isolation4 7v7 ,seventy percent of contacts respond to the contact tracer4 7vi7 ,eighty-five percent of contacts who are identified are tested4 7,c7 ,test results ,eighty-five percent of ,,pcr tests have results within #dh hours4 7,d7 ,other standards ,the ,secretary may modify or replace standards described in subparagraphs 7,a71 7,b71 and 7,c71 or add new evaluation standards1 provided such modification1 replacement1 or addition is based on data-driven research that demonstrates the basis of the ,secretary's determination4 7#b7 ,compliance ,a government entity shall be considered to be in compliance with the requirements of this section for a weekly reporting period if each neighborhood in the entity has met #he percent of the standards under paragraph 7#a7 for such reporting period4 7g7 ,effects of noncompliance 7#a7 ,grant reduction 7,a7 ,initial period ,for the #b-month period immediately proceeding the date of enactment of this ,act1 there shall be no reduction to the grant amount received by a government entity as a result of non-compliance as described in subsection 7f77#b74 7,b7 ,subsequent periods ,beginning #b months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 in the case of a government entity that is not in compliance for a reporting period as described in subsection 7f77#b71 the entity shall remit to the ,federal ,government an amount equal to #be percent of the total ,federal funds expended for the government entity pursuant to the grant under this section for the applicable weekly reporting period4 7#b7 ,testing availability mitigation efforts ,in the case of a government entity that is not in compliance for a weekly reporting period as described in subsection 7f77#b71 the entity shall ensure that1 in the subsequent week1 in each neighborhood within the jurisdiction that did not meet #he percent of the standards under subsection 7f77#a71 residents have access to ,,pcr testing sites as follows3 7,a7 ,in urban areas1 #ij percent of residents have access to a testing site within #b miles of their residence4 7,b7 ,in suburban areas1 #ij percent of residents have access to a testing site within #e miles of their residence4 7,c7 ,in rural areas1 #gj percent of residents have access to a testing site within #ae miles of their residence4 7h7 ,funding ,the ,secretary may use any unobligated funds made available to the ,public ,health and ,social ,services ,emergency ,fund to carry out this section4 7i7 ,sunset ,this section shall cease to have force or effect on the earlier of the date on which all funds described in subsection 7h7 are expended or #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act4