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| Mississippi Governor Clarifies Order Defining Most Businesses as Essential | Mississippi Governor Clarifies Order Defining Most Businesses as Essential |
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| Days after issuing an executive order that broadly defined most businesses as essential during the coronavirus shutdown, Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi said on Thursday that it was not meant to interfere with decisions made by local governments. | Days after issuing an executive order that broadly defined most businesses as essential during the coronavirus shutdown, Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi said on Thursday that it was not meant to interfere with decisions made by local governments. |
| Governor Reeves signed the order on Tuesday, saying that essential businesses should be allowed to stay open, with some limitations, during the coronavirus shutdown. It offered a broad list of such businesses, including some that were exempt from limits on gatherings of more than 10 people as long as they took into account “reasonable measures,” such as social distancing and sending sick employees home. | Governor Reeves signed the order on Tuesday, saying that essential businesses should be allowed to stay open, with some limitations, during the coronavirus shutdown. It offered a broad list of such businesses, including some that were exempt from limits on gatherings of more than 10 people as long as they took into account “reasonable measures,” such as social distancing and sending sick employees home. |
| After widespread criticism, Governor Reeves said on Thursday that he would issue a supplemental notice saying that the order was intended as “a floor statewide” for local governments to follow. | After widespread criticism, Governor Reeves said on Thursday that he would issue a supplemental notice saying that the order was intended as “a floor statewide” for local governments to follow. |
| Some cities and counties in the state had already imposed their own more narrow restrictions regarding which businesses were considered essential, leading to confusion about how the state order would be executed. | Some cities and counties in the state had already imposed their own more narrow restrictions regarding which businesses were considered essential, leading to confusion about how the state order would be executed. |
| On Thursday, Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the executive order was considered a “state managed, locally executed” directive that “sets a statewide standard in terms of social distancing and defining essential businesses to slow the spread and protect public health.” | On Thursday, Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the executive order was considered a “state managed, locally executed” directive that “sets a statewide standard in terms of social distancing and defining essential businesses to slow the spread and protect public health.” |
| “This establishes statewide parameters that local leaders on the front lines can build on to make decisions that are in the best interest of their communities,” Ms. Eze said in a statement. She said the supplement to the order would “clarify that no local precautionary measures are overruled by this executive order and ensure that essential businesses remain open.” | “This establishes statewide parameters that local leaders on the front lines can build on to make decisions that are in the best interest of their communities,” Ms. Eze said in a statement. She said the supplement to the order would “clarify that no local precautionary measures are overruled by this executive order and ensure that essential businesses remain open.” |
| At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Governor Reeves sought to clarify the intent of the original order. | At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Governor Reeves sought to clarify the intent of the original order. |
| “If any municipality wants to utilize their local emergency power — and a lot of them do, and that’s perfectly fine — if they want to utilize their emergency power to go beyond what the state does, as long as their ordinance does not directly conflict with allowing for what the state order says, then they’re perfectly fine to do so.” | “If any municipality wants to utilize their local emergency power — and a lot of them do, and that’s perfectly fine — if they want to utilize their emergency power to go beyond what the state does, as long as their ordinance does not directly conflict with allowing for what the state order says, then they’re perfectly fine to do so.” |
| But Governor Reeves also said that the order was written to ensure that no county or municipal order “can keep those essential services from going on.” | But Governor Reeves also said that the order was written to ensure that no county or municipal order “can keep those essential services from going on.” |
| The executive order defines essential businesses as those involved in public safety, including emergency medical workers and health care operations and facilities. It also includes laundromats and home and auto repair. Restaurants and bars were also considered essential and could provide dine-in services, but they were not allowed to have more than 10 customers at a time in seating areas or other indoor spaces. | The executive order defines essential businesses as those involved in public safety, including emergency medical workers and health care operations and facilities. It also includes laundromats and home and auto repair. Restaurants and bars were also considered essential and could provide dine-in services, but they were not allowed to have more than 10 customers at a time in seating areas or other indoor spaces. |
| The list included nearly every type of business, including financial and religious institutions, and real estate services. On Twitter, the governor said he rejected “dictatorship models like China” in his approach to the order, which in some cases appeared, in effect, to overturn local orders put into place by local governments. | The list included nearly every type of business, including financial and religious institutions, and real estate services. On Twitter, the governor said he rejected “dictatorship models like China” in his approach to the order, which in some cases appeared, in effect, to overturn local orders put into place by local governments. |
| In Oxford, Miss., Mayor Robyn Tannehill said that the city government was confused about how to carry out the order and merge it with its own resolution on March 22 about how businesses should operate. | In Oxford, Miss., Mayor Robyn Tannehill said that the city government was confused about how to carry out the order and merge it with its own resolution on March 22 about how businesses should operate. |
| Oxford, about an hour south of Memphis, has a population of about 25,000, with a large retirement community. But the local population is infused with an additional 20,000 students attending the University of Mississippi. | Oxford, about an hour south of Memphis, has a population of about 25,000, with a large retirement community. But the local population is infused with an additional 20,000 students attending the University of Mississippi. |
| Updated August 4, 2020 | |
| “Our first reading of the executive order caused us great concern and confusion, as it appeared it was superseding all of the plans and policies that we had put in place for our community,” she said on Thursday. | “Our first reading of the executive order caused us great concern and confusion, as it appeared it was superseding all of the plans and policies that we had put in place for our community,” she said on Thursday. |
| One example, she said, was that the executive order appeared to allow restaurants to open their dining rooms to 10 people or fewer. “It seemed to open the door for a lot of businesses we had asked to be curbside only, or to close,” she said. | One example, she said, was that the executive order appeared to allow restaurants to open their dining rooms to 10 people or fewer. “It seemed to open the door for a lot of businesses we had asked to be curbside only, or to close,” she said. |
| The order also lacked clear penalties for violators, whereas in Oxford, violators could face a $1,000 fine, she said. | The order also lacked clear penalties for violators, whereas in Oxford, violators could face a $1,000 fine, she said. |
| Ms. Tannehill said she spoke with Governor Reeves on Wednesday. “He said his intention was not to open the doors wider, but to get a minimum standard,” she said. “And I think he understood that different communities are going to have to approach this differently.” | Ms. Tannehill said she spoke with Governor Reeves on Wednesday. “He said his intention was not to open the doors wider, but to get a minimum standard,” she said. “And I think he understood that different communities are going to have to approach this differently.” |
| Mississippi has reported 485 Covid-19 cases, of which five were fatal, the State’s Department of Health said. The order was signed as neighboring Louisiana was experiencing the fastest growth in new coronavirus cases in the world, with nearly 1,800 reported as of Thursday. Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana said on Tuesday that the current trajectory of case growth in Louisiana was similar to those in Spain and Italy. | Mississippi has reported 485 Covid-19 cases, of which five were fatal, the State’s Department of Health said. The order was signed as neighboring Louisiana was experiencing the fastest growth in new coronavirus cases in the world, with nearly 1,800 reported as of Thursday. Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana said on Tuesday that the current trajectory of case growth in Louisiana was similar to those in Spain and Italy. |
| Governor Reeves’s order said that, through April 17, Mississippi residents should avoid “social and other nonessential gatherings” of more than 10 people in “close proximity.” “This does not apply to normal operations of locations like airports, medical and health care facilities, retail shopping including grocery and department stores, offices, factories and other manufacturing facilities or any essential business or operation,” it said. | Governor Reeves’s order said that, through April 17, Mississippi residents should avoid “social and other nonessential gatherings” of more than 10 people in “close proximity.” “This does not apply to normal operations of locations like airports, medical and health care facilities, retail shopping including grocery and department stores, offices, factories and other manufacturing facilities or any essential business or operation,” it said. |
| In a news conference on Tuesday, Governor Reeves said that he had been in contact with Vice President Mike Pence and that he planned to follow the lead of “experts” in his executive orders, The Jackson Free Press reported. | In a news conference on Tuesday, Governor Reeves said that he had been in contact with Vice President Mike Pence and that he planned to follow the lead of “experts” in his executive orders, The Jackson Free Press reported. |
| President Trump said on Tuesday that he wanted to reopen the country for business by Easter, on April 12, despite warnings from public health experts that the worst effects of the coronavirus were weeks away and that lifting the restrictions now in place would result in unnecessary deaths. | President Trump said on Tuesday that he wanted to reopen the country for business by Easter, on April 12, despite warnings from public health experts that the worst effects of the coronavirus were weeks away and that lifting the restrictions now in place would result in unnecessary deaths. |