Deerfield-News.com-Deerfield Beach, Fl- Broward Sheriff Tony has announced the following via Facebook today.
To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 cases in Broward County, Broward Mayor Holness announced a new county order which will close businesses that fail to comply with the COVID-19 guidelines (effective 12:01am on June 26, 2020). At the Broward Sheriff’s Office, we are here to support the county by enforcing closures. If you notice a business that is non-compliant, you may call the Broward County Hotline at 3-1-1. “We must all do the things we can to be socially responsible for each other,” said Sheriff Gregory Tony.
For more information about Emergency Order 20-18, please visit
BROWARD COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S
EMERGENCY ORDER 20-18
WHEREAS, COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by a virus that spreads rapidly
from person to person and may result in serious illness or death, constitutes a clear and
present threat to the lives, health, welfare, and safety of the people of Broward County;
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2020, Governor Desantis declared a Public Health
Emergency as a result of COVID-19, and on March 9, 2020, Governor Desantis issued
Executive Order 20-52, declaring a State of Emergency as a result of COVID-19;
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, I declared a Local State of Emergency;
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the
spread of COVID-19 to be a global pandemic;
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a national emergency
concerning COVID-19;
WHEREAS, to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the United States Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recommends implementation of community
mitigation strategies to increase containment of the virus;
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2020, the Broward County Board of County
Commissioners authorized me to take any appropriate and necessary action to protect
the health and safety of Broward County residents and visitors in connection with
COVID19, and other emergency powers including under the state-approved emergency
management plan had previously been delegated to me (as further outlined below);
WHEREAS, on April 28, 2020, as part of a coordinated effort with the local
municipalities and the adjoining counties, I reopened certain parks, golf courses, and
other recreational facilities in Broward County pursuant to the guidelines in Broward
Broward County Emergency Order 20-18 Page 1 of 5
County Emergency Order 20-08, as amended by Broward County Emergency
Order 20-09;
WHEREAS, beginning on April 29, 2020, Governor Desantis issued a series of
Executive Orders, including Executive Orders 20-112, 20-120, and 20-123, establishing
Phase 1 of a step-by-step plan for Florida’s recovery (initially excluding Broward,
Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties) and permitting certain additional activities for
individuals;
WHEREAS, on May 14, 2020, Governor Desantis issued Executive Order 20-122
permitting Broward and Miami-Dade Counties to participate in the Phase 1 reopening;
WHEREAS, beginning on May 21, 2020, I issued a series of Emergency Orders
including Emergency Orders 20-12, 20-13, 20-14, 20-15, and 20-16, which outline the
establishments currently permitted to operate in Broward County and incorporate
guidelines and requirements for safe operations for opened businesses, amenities, and
services;
WHEREAS, in order to increase public awareness of the safety and sanitation
measures required to protect public health, on June 12, 2020, I issued Emergency Order
20-17 requiring retail establishments and restaurants to post signage containing
information regarding sanitization, social distancing, and facial covering requirements;
and
WHEREAS, given an increase in positive reported cases of COVID-19 within our
County and the state as a whole, I now find it necessary to impose additional requirements
for establishments within the County that fail to comply with the established guidelines;
Broward County Emergency Order 20-18 Page 2 of 5
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bertha Henry, the Broward County Administrator, pursuant
to my emergency authority under Sections 8-53 and 8-56 of the Broward County Code of
Ordinances, as well as the authority granted to me by the Declaration of Emergency
issued by Governor Desantis in Executive Order 20-52, by Chapter 252, Florida Statutes,
by the Board of County Commissioners, and by the Broward County Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan, hereby order as follows:
Section 1. Closures for Failure to Comply with Applicable Guidelines
Commencing at 12:01 a.m. on Friday June 261 2020, in addition to being subject
to the penalties set forth in Section 8-56 of the County’s Code of Ordinances, any
establishment (as defined in Emergency Order 20-12) that is cited by the applicable code
enforcement or law enforcement authority for operating in a manner inconsistent with or
otherwise in violation of any Broward County Emergency Order shall close immediately.
Such establishment may reopen only after ( 1) a minimum of a twenty-four (24) hour period
during which the establishment shall conduct a thorough review ofthe County’s applicable
Emergency Orders, including Emergency Order 20-12, as amended, and all applicable
attachments thereto, and take all necessary measures to bring the establishment into
compliance with the requirements of such Emergency Orders; and (2) submitting a fully
executed attestation under penalty of perjury by the owner, general manager, or chief
executive officer of the establishment, in the form attached hereto, to the County by email
to [email protected], attesting that the review has been completed and the
required measures have been taken, and receipt of County’s acknowledgment of a valid
executed attestation form. In addition, the establishment shall, within five (5) calendar
days after reopening, submit to inspection and be inspected by local code enforcement
Broward County Emergency Order 20-18 Page 3 of 5
or law enforcement authorities to confirm the violation has been corrected. Any repeat
violation by the establishment cited by the applicable code enforcement or law
enforcement authority shall be presumed a knowing violation subject to a fine of up to
fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) under Section 8-56(b)(2).
Section 2. Applicability; Severability.
This Emergency Order supersedes and replaces any contrary provision in any
prior Broward County Emergency Order. Except as superseded, all Broward County
Emergency Orders remain in full force and effect. This Emergency Order applies to
incorporated and unincorporated areas within Broward County, but has no application
outside of Broward County. The provisions of this Emergency Order shall serve as
minimum standards, and municipalities within Broward County may establish more
stringent standards within their jurisdictions, to the extent permitted by law. Any
provision(s) within this Emergency Order that (i) conflict(s) with any state or federal law
or constitutional provision, or (ii) conflict(s) with or are superseded by a current or
subsequently-issued Executive Order of the Governor or the President of the United
States solely to the extent such Executive Order (a) expressly preempts the substance of
this Emergency Order or (b) imposes stricter closures than set forth herein, shall be
deemed inapplicable and deemed to be severed from this Emergency Order, with the
remainder of the Emergency Order remaining intact and in full force and effect. To the
extent application of some or all of the provisions of this Emergency Order is prohibited
on the sovereign land of a federally or state recognized sovereign Indian tribe, such
application is expressly excluded from this Emergency Order.
Broward County Emergency Order 20-18 Page 4 of 5
Section 3. Effective Date; Duration.
This order shall be effective as of 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 26, 2020. This
Emergency Order shall expire upon the expiration of the existing State of Local
Emergency, as same may be extended by subsequent order or declaration, unless earlier
County Administrator