Florida businesses just got a major boost from their Republican governor.
Addressing reporters at a press conference in St. Petersburg on Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced an executive order allowing bars and restaurants in the state to open at full capacity.
“We are today moving into what we initially called Phase 3,” DeSantis said. “And what that’ll mean for the restaurants is there will not be limitations from the state of Florida.”
DeSantis said the order will allow workers of all industries in the state an opportunity to continue pursuing their careers during the coronavirus pandemic. He included provisions that will limit the number of restrictions local governments can place on businesses.
“We’re also saying in the state of Florida everybody has a right to work,” DeSantis added. “[Local governments] can do reasonable regulations, but they can’t just say no.”
The order removes state-level restrictions that forced restaurants and bars to limit capacity seating to 75% and establishes, as a rule, that no local government can make a law restricting capacity seating below 50%.
