Governor Mike Parson signed Executive Order 21-07 extending the state of emergency in Missouri through August 31st, to help accelerate COVID-19 recovery. Governor Parson said. the state has made incredible progress in a short amount of time, and must continue doing all that it can to support citizens, business, and communities throughout the recovery process. The state of emergency extension will allow the state continued flexibility in providing resources and easing regulatory burdens to further assist Missouri’s COVID-19 recovery efforts. This also allows for continued utilization of the Missouri National Guard and federal funding for COVID-19 response efforts. Governor Parson initially declared a state of emergency on March 13, 2020, with the signing of Executive Order 20-02. Since that time, nearly 600 state statutes and regulations have been waived or suspended to increase efficiency and effectiveness in responding to COVID-19.