On April 1, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-91. The State’s order, which will become effective on Friday, April 3 at 12:01 a.m. and will expire on April 30, sets statewide standards for the conduct of individuals and businesses in response to the public health crisis caused by COVID-19. The State’s order will supersede any conflicting orders issued by local governments in response to COVID-19, including those issued by Orange and Osceola Counties.

Under the State’s order, all persons in Florida must “limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.” For purposes of the State’s order, “essential services” means the list provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce and those businesses and activities designated by Executive Order 20-89.

The list of businesses considered essential under the State’s order is similar to the list currently in effect for Orange County, with several exceptions. Specifically, marine dealers and golf courses are not explicitly considered essential under the State’s order. The State’s order also notes that other essential services may be added with the approval of the State Coordinating Officer.

In addition, while businesses considered non-essential under Orange County’s order were permitted to remain open “to the extent necessary to perform minimum basic operations,” the State’s order does include such a provision and simply orders all non-essential businesses to close. However, like Orange County’s order, the State’s order encourages employees of all businesses to continue to work from home.

For a full list of services and businesses considered essential under the order, consult the order or visit FloridaDisaster.org

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