ALERT: Orders affecting press operations in Florida during COVID-19 outbreak

The State of Florida and multiple counties and municipalities around the state have entered orders closing non-essential businesses and directing residents to stay home. Click the relevant “PDF” below to find out how those orders impact press operations in your area.

This list is being kept up to date to the best of our abilities. The most recent update occurred March 31st.

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security clarifies that essential critical infrastructure workforce includes “[w]orkers who support radio, television, and media service, including, but not limited to front-line news reporters, studio, and technicians for newsgathering, and reporting, and publishing news.” (PDF)
• Governor enters statewide stay at home order through April 30, 2020 that permits press to continue operations as an essential business (PDF)
• Governor mandates 14-day quarantine for persons entering state through airports from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut (PDF)
• Governor confirms Sunshine Law remains in effect during COVID-19 pandemic (PDF)
• Governor directs Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties (Southeast Florida) to “restrict public access” to non-essential businesses through April 15 (PDF)
• Governor closes certain categories of businesses in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Press operations not included in restrictions. (PDF)
• Alachua County exempts press from non-essential business closure (PDF) 
• Aventura fails to include press in definition of “essential business” in issuing non-essential business closure and safer at home orders but later clarifies press is deemed essential in City (PDF) (PDF)
• Bal Harbor Village safer at home order does not impact on press operations (PDF)
• Bay Harbor Islands safer at home order does not impact on press operations (PDF)
• Boca Raton amends stay at home order, press remain exempt as essential business (PDF)
• Boca Raton non-essential businesses closed, but press exempt and deemed essential (PDF)
• Broward County exempts press from non-essential business closure orders (PDF) (PDF)
• Coral Gables safer at home order allows press to continue to operate by adopting Miami-Dade County definition of “essential business,” which includes press (PDF)
• Dania Beach exempts press from non-essential business closure (PDF)
• Doral stay at home order allows essential business, including press, to continue to operate. (PDF)
• Delray Beach amends non-essential business closure to include stay at home order, except to engage in work for essential businesses (including press). (PDF)
• Gadsden County issues non-essential business closure. Press exempt (PDF)
• Golden Beach stay at home order exempts essential businesses, including press (PDF)
• Hillsborough County orders non-essential businesses that cannot maintain six-foot distance to close, media exempt as essential business (PDF)
• Leon County stay at home order allows travel for work and to and from work, permitting press to function normally (PDF)
• Miami Beach "Safer at Home" order protects press as an essential business (PDF)
• Miami-Dade County exempts press from non-essential business closure (PDF)
• Miami (City of) stay home order adopts Miami-Dade County definition, so press deemed essential business (PDF)
• Monroe County closed to visitors. Unclear if press operations constitute “formal business” in the Keys. (PDF)
• Orange County stay at home order exempts media as an essential business (PDF)
• Osceola County issues stay at home order that protects media as essential business (PDF)
• Palm Beach County – countywide non-essential business closure & stay at home orders deem press essential business (PDF)
• Palm Beach (Town of) enters safer at home order. Exemption press as essential business per county order definition. (PDF)
• Pinellas County safer at home order exempts media as essential business (PDF)
• Surfside safer at home order does not impact on press operations (PDF)