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In the first phase of an effort to restart parts of Texas’ economy, on April 27, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order allowing certain businesses – retail establishments, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, museums, libraries, golf courses, and services provided by an individual working alone in an office – to reopen on May 1, 2020, with most subject to certain restrictions regarding occupancy.  Governor Abbott’s order, Executive Order GA-18, supersedes his prior executive stay-at-home order (Executive Order GA-16) and any conflicting local order, including, as discussed below, such orders that impose a civil or criminal penalty for failure to wear a face covering.

Executive Order GA-18 continues to allow business providing “essential services” to operate.  “Essential services” continues to include everything listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure, Version 3.0 or any subsequent version, plus religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and houses of worship.
Continue Reading Texas partially reopens businesses effective May 1st

As COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly, with the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. well above 200,000, Georgia has now joined the growing number of states implementing statewide stay-at-home orders. Although Governor Brian Kemp initially favored county-by-county determinations, he recently announced a statewide Shelter-in-Place Order, as well as an order shutting down all Georgia public schools for the remainder of the academic year.

The governor’s comprehensive Shelter-in-Place Order, which is in effect from 6 p.m. on April 3, 2020 through 11.59 p.m. on April 13, 2020, supersedes the far less restrictive March 23, 2020 order. In addition to requiring residents and visitors to remain in their residences (with certain limited exceptions), the Order also implements a number of additional restrictions and mandates on Georgia businesses.Continue Reading Georgia’s Shelter-in-Place Order imposes new restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19

Referencing President Trump’s March 31, 2020 “30 Days to Slow the Spread” guidance, on April 1, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joined the majority of other states and issued a Stay-at-Home Order.  The order takes effect on April 3, 2020 at 12.01 a.m.

The order instructs senior citizens and those with significant underlying medical conditions to stay at home and take all necessary measures to limit exposure to the virus.

Other individuals are required to limit their travel to what is necessary to provide or obtain “essential services” or to conduct “essential activities.”Continue Reading Florida issues statewide stay-at-home order