ATLANTA — Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has signed a new order that deputizes county sheriffs and their deputies to enforce his previously announced shelter-in-place order.
Kemp signed his shelter-in-place order Thursday and it’s set to take effect Friday, April 3 at 6 p.m. and go until the end of April 13.
Previously, that order could only be enforced by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Georgia State Patrol.
But, Friday’s new executive order changes that.
It says sheriffs and their deputies are now authorized to enforce the closing of businesses, establishments, or organizations that are to be closed by his shelter-in-place order.
Friday’s order does ask that sheriffs and deputies should give businesses time to comply with his directions before mandating they close.
Lastly, it says that if any provision in Friday’s order shall be found invalid or in violation of the Georgia Constitution that it does not undo his shelter-in-place order.
According to the shelter-in-place order, businesses that are to be closed to the public include: restaurants that cannot provide delivery/takeout service, gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, theaters, live performance venues, amusement parks, body art studios, estheticians, salons/barber shops, massage studios and bars.
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