Plan for Florida’s Recovery – Phase 2 Recovery

• Florida
• Business
• Employment
• Food
• Health
• Miscellaneous

Pursuant to Executive Orders 20-112, 20-120, 20-123, 20-131, and 20-139. Governor DeSantis announced guidance for reopening restaurants, bars, retail establishments, gyms and fitness centers, professional sports venues, amusement parks, personal services (including body piercing, acupuncture, tanning, and massage), pari-mutuel facilities, entertainment business (including theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, and arcades) vacation rentals, organized youth activities, museums and libraries, elective surgery providers, barbershops, cosmetology salons, and cosmetology specialty salons.  Businesses should check for additional restrictions and guidance at the city and county level.

Subject to any contrary guidance from the city or county:

• Beginning May 18, museums and libraries may open at no more than 50 percent of their building occupancy, provided, however, that (a) local public museums and local public libraries may operate only if permitted by local government, and (b) any components of museums or libraries that have interactive functions or exhibits, including child play areas, remain closed.

• Beginning May 18, professional sports may operate in Florida and venues may host training, competitions, events and games. This provision shall preempt any local rule prohibiting a professional sports team conducting, or the operations of the venue from hosting, those sports activities at facilities in Florida.

• As of May 18, amusement parks may submit a re-opening plan to the State of Florida that includes a proposed date for resumption of operations and proposed guidelines to ensure guest and staff safety. Requests to re-open must include an endorsement letter from the County Mayor or in absence of a county mayor from the City Mayor and County Administrator. This request shall 2 identify a future date certain for re-opening and verify that the official has approved a re-open plan to ensure patron and staff safety.

• As of May 18, counties may seek approval to operate vacation rentals with a written request from the County Administrator and the county’s safety plan for vacation rental operations submitted to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary.

• Beginning May 22, organized youth activities may operate, including youth sports teams and leagues, youth clubs and programs, and child care. Summer camps and youth recreation camps may operate including, but not limited to, those defined 409.175 and 513.02, Florida Statutes, respectively.

• Beginning June 5, restaurants and other establishments, and bars and other vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises may offer outdoor seating with appropriate social distancing and indoor seating at 50 percent building capacity, excluding employees. Bar areas may be open with seated service. Appropriate social distancing requires maintaining a minimum of 6 feet between parties, only seating parties of 10 or fewer people and keeping bar counters closed to seating.

• Beginning June 5, entertainment businesses, including but not limited to movie theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, and arcades may operate at 50 percent of their building capacity, with appropriate social distancing between groups and appropriate sanitation.

• Beginning June 5, pari-mutuel facilities may seek to operate with a written request from the County Mayor or if no mayor the County Administrator to the Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the approval of the DBPR Secretary.

• Beginning June 5, Personal services, including but not limited to tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture, tanning and massage, may operate with appropriate safety guidelines as outlined by the Department of Health.

• Beginning June 5, retail stores may operate at full capacity with responsible social distancing and sanitization protocols.

• Beginning June 5, gyms and fitness centers may operate at full capacity with appropriate social distancing and frequent sanitization.

• Beginning June 5, medical services, including elective procedures, surgical centers, office surgery centers, dental offices, orthodontic offices, endodontic offices, and other health care practitioners' offices may fully re-open.

• Hospitals continue to be required to assist nursing homes and long-term care facilities in protecting the vulnerable. They must maintain adequate bed capacity and PPE. They must also have the capacity to immediately convert additional surgical and intensive care beds in a surge situation and must not have received or sought any additional federal, state, or local government assistance regarding PPE after resuming elective procedures.

Government or Lead Agency

Office of the Governor

Dates Available

Beginning May 4, 2020, May 11, 2020, May 18, 2020, May 22, 2020, and June 5, 2020

Eligibility Requirements/Restrictions

Applies to restaurants, bars, retail establishments, gyms and fitness centers, professional sports venues, amusement parks, personal services (including body piercing, acupuncture, tanning, and massage), pari-mutuel facilities, entertainment business (including theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, and arcades) vacation rentals, organized youth activities, museums and libraries, elective surgery providers, barbershops, cosmetology salons, and cosmetology specialty salons. Check any city or county guidance.

Application Deadlines (If Applicable)

N/A

Contact for More Information

https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/plan-for-floridas-recovery/

List of Additional Information

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html