The county’s EPG has decided to alter the mask mandate once more in an effort to lessen the burden placed on business owners while still having penalties in place for those who don’t comply.
The mask order, which was implemented two weeks ago by the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group, has once again been altered.
The initial order was created to place the burden of compliance on the business operator rather than on individuals. It was argued that this decision would help lessen the load on law enforcement officers, as they would not be required to chase every call about someone not wearing a mask and instead could focus on businesses that were not implementing safe policies.
That didn’t sit well with many local business owners who felt it was unfair for them to have to act as “enforcement” with customers, especially those who unfortunately dealt with less than amicable citizens. One of the first calls of complaint the EPG heard was from a business owner who said they told everyone to wear a mask in their business and, at the start, everyone complied. Then one of the customers took his mask off. When an employee asked him to put it back on, he began yelling and broke a pool cue over his knee.
Others have since called in saying they felt unfairly punished for the actions of their customers. Many claimed to “be doing everything right” and still dealt with customers refusing to comply. So, the EPG decided to try and fix it.
The mask mandate said people have to wear a face covering inside a business if they are unable to maintain social distancing. The definition of businesses was updated last week to include nonprofits selling goods and services inside.
The rewrite of the mandate this week removed criminal sanctions and replaced the verbiage with civil citations. Essentially, a business now can be issued a civil citation if it doesn’t make an effort to enforce the rules.
The order also now defines what that effort should look like. Businesses need to have signage at the entrance to let people know masks are required. The employees also need to make public announcements routinely throughout the business that masks are required and then also have to individually ask customers to comply if they see said customers are not doing so.
If all of those boxes are checked, the responsibility then shifts from the shoulders of the business operator to the individual customer. If someone refuses to comply with the business’ request and does not meet one of the exceptions to the rule, they could be subject to a civil citation which could come with a fine of up to $150.
Few conversations regarding the mandate have gone seamlessly in the EPG meetings and this alteration wasn’t any different. Supporting the new order were Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Les Miller Jr., Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Temple Terrace Acting Mayor Andy Ross and county commissioners Kimberly Overman and Sandy Murman.
Opposed were Plant City Vice Mayor Nate Kilton, Sheriff Chad Chronister and School Board member Melissa Snively.
Chronister also brought up his concern with the order and concealed weapons carriers in the county. Though County Attorney Christine Beck did not believe there was any conflict, the board agreed to clarify in the order that the mandate is not intended to conflict with state law for concealed weapon permit holders. This received a 5-3 vote as well, with Miller, Castor and Overman dissenting.
Further review of the state law, however, found there is no such provision that would exempt a concealed weapons permit holder from wearing a mask.
