Gov. Brian Kemp has issued an executive order today allowing cities and counties to adopt a “local option face covering requirement” to help combat the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
The order applies to counties that have had at least 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks.
Under the governor’s executive order, authorities are required to warn people “about the health risks posed by not wearing a face mask or face covering prior to issuing any citation and shall make good faith, reasonable efforts to distribute free masks in their jurisdictions to individuals who cannot afford a face mask or face covering. The penalty for refusing to obey local mask ordinances cannot exceed $50.
In addition, only individuals are subject to sanctions. Businesses and other organizations cannot get held liable if customers choose not to wear a mask.
Click here to read the executive order (the section on local face mask ordinances begins on Page 38).
