Florida will soon be under a statewide lockdown. The new executive order directs all Floridians to limit movements and personal interactions outside the home to only to those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or essential activities.
The Florida order becomes enforceable at 12:01 a.m. on April 3 and ends April 30, 2020.
How will the order be enforced?
Governor DeSantis has called upon the Florida National Guard to help with the state’s coronavirus response, including large-scale testing sites. This order will be enforced by state or local law enforcement.
Essential Activities: What am I still allowed to do?
Governor DeSantis’s order allows certain types of movements that are deemed “essential activities.” Meaning, that essential activities are still allowed under the Order. The bill considers the following an essential activity and incorporates the recommendations made by Homeland Security and Miami Dade.
1) Religious services: DeSantis’s Order will still allow you to attend religious services conducted in churches, synagogues, and houses of worship. Especially in light of the arrest of Tampa pastor, Rodney Howard-Browne, who held worship services in defiance of a local ban on large gatherings. That ban is now effectively overturned.
2) Participating in recreational activities: Floridians are still allowed to participate in recreational activities, as long as they are consistent with social distancing guidelines. Recreational activities include walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running, and swimming.
3) Notably, the order also considers caring for or assisting a loved one, friend, or even a pet, as an essential activity. This means that you can still take your family members or friends to the doctor or assist them in attending to their needs. The same applies to pets. If your pet has to go to the veterinarian, you can take them. That’s OK too.
Other essential activities may be added to this list with the approval of the State Coordinating Officer.
Essential Services: What about Businesses?
Businesses that provide daily necessities, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, gas stations, pet supply stores, laundromats, hardware stores and others, will remain open.
Food-related businesses will still abide Governor DeSantis’s previous orders which directed dining rooms in restaurants to be closed. Restaurants can still deliver food and provide pickup orders. Bars and nightclubs will remain closed.
Can I still travel or drive out of the state?
If you are visiting Florida, you will still be permitted to conduct essential activities and will also be allowed to drive home. Most airports across the state remain open.
Can I go on my boat?
The Order states that it will follow Miami – Dade County’s boating rules, which have recently shut down all marinas and boat launches except for people with commercial saltwater licenses, for fishing purposes only, or law enforcement patrols and rescues.
As we continue to monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the lawyers at Colucci Law Group are working closely to stay current on developments and counsel clients through the various legal and business issues that may arise across a variety of sectors.
If you have any further questions or would like further information, please contact us at 904-217-0124 or visit our website YourRightsOurFight.com
You can read the full Executive Order at: http://ctsfl.us/index_htm_files/Governors%20Order%20EO20-91.pdf