MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Governor Kay Ivey announced a statewide stay at home order that goes into effect Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. The order will stay in place until at least April 30.

The order states that ever person is ordered to stay at his or her place of residence unless they are performing any “essential activities.”

• Getting necessary supplies
  • Food & other consumer good needed to maintain daily routines or maintain safety, sanitation and routine operation of home
  • Supplies needed to work from home
  • Pharmaceutical or medical supplies
  • Fuel and other vehicle supplies
  • Materials for distance learning or other education-related purpose
  • Any other supplies necessary to maintain a person’s or pet’s daily routine or maintain safety, sanitation and routine operation of home
• Obtain or provide necessary services
  • Dental, medical or surgical procedures allowed under this order
  • Government-funded services or benefits
  • Automobile repair services
  • Services vital to the treatment or care of people with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities or people with substance-use disorders
  • Services related to any public or private distance learning activities and education continuity including all plans approved by the State Superintendent of Education
  • Any other services necessary to maintain a person’s or pet’s health and safety
• Attend religious services
  • The event must involve fewer than 10 people and each must maintain a consistent six-foot distance from one another
  • Drive-in worship service that adheres to the following rules:
    • All participants shall remain in their vehicles for the entirety of the service
    • The participants in each vehicle all share the same home
    • Participants do not come within 6 feet of participants in other vehicles
• Take care of others – The order allows you to leave the home to take care of another person or pet in another household, donate blood, or transport family, friend or pets.
• Work at “essential businesses and operations”
  • Work-related activities to maintain the value of the business, such as managing inventory, ensuring security and processing payroll
  • Work-related activities to enable people to work or shop remotely from their home to allow people to buy products through drive-by, curbside or door-to-door delivery
  • Work-related activities that do not require any regular interaction within six feet of another person
• Engage in outdoor activity – as long as the activity involved fewer than 10 people who are a consistent six-foot distance from other persons
• Seek shelter – if required by his or her employment by an “essential service of business” or if residence is unsafe or at imminent risk of becoming unsafe. This also includes leaving the home to seek help from providers of basic necessities for economically disadvantaged people such as food pantries.
• Travel required by law – If required by law enforcement, court order, or transport child for custody agreement
• See family members – You may visit the home of other people related to you.

The order identifies essential businesses and operations as the following:

• Government Operations, including public safety and first responders
• Health-care providers or caregivers
• Infrastructure operations
• Manufacturing facilities
• Agricultural operations and farms
• Essential retailers defined as supermarkets, food and beverage stores, including liquor stores and warehouse clubs, food providers, convenience stores, office-supply stores, bookstores, computer stores, pharmacies, health care supply stores, hardware stores, home improvement stores, building material stores, stores that sell electrical, plumbing and heating materials, gun stores, gas stations; auto, farm equipment, bicycle, motorcycle, and boat supply and repair stores, and businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food and goods directly to residents
• Restaurants and bars
• Essential Personal Service, defined as trash collection, mail and shipping services, home repair, automotive sales and repair, warehouse, distribution and fulfillment centers, kennels, animal shelters, laundromats/laundry service, dry cleaners, childcare facilities, public transportation, and providers of business services including security and payroll, funeral, cemetery and related services
• Media operations
• Education Operations, including educators supporting public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities or other educational institutions, for purpose of facilitating distance learning and education continuity plans approved by the State Superintendent of Education
• Financial Services
• Professional services, including legal services, accountant services, insurance services, real estate services (including appraisal and title services)
• Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged population, including businesses, religious and secular non-profit organizations, food banks, homeless shelters and congregate-care facilities
• Construction and construction-related services
• Essential public services, defined as services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences and essential business operations
• Military or defense operations, including employers and personnel who support the essential products and services required to meet national security commitments
• Essential services or product providers, defined as vendors that provide services or products, including logistics, transportation and technology support, child care programs and services, medical waste disposal, hazardous waste disposal, services needed to ensure the continued operation of an essential business or operation
• Religious entities
• Federally-designated critical infrastructure
• Other state-designated essential businesses and operations
• Support operations for essential businesses and operations

The order says that those “essential businesses and operations may issue credentials, but don’t need to do so. It also says those businesses shall take “all reasonable steps” for employees and customers to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people and maintain a consistent six-foot distance between people.

The governor’s order also says each of the “essential retailers” as described above are ordered to comply with the following rules:

• Emergency maximum occupancy rate – No more than 50 percent of normal occupancy load as determined by the fire marshal. The number should be posted in a conspicuous place, and enough staff should be posted at the store entrances and exits to enforce the requirement
• Social Distancing – An employee may not knowingly allow customers or patrons to congregate within six feet of one another
• Sanitation – The business shall take reasonable steps to comply with guidelines on sanitation from the CDC and Alabama Department of Public Health

Businesses may continue to operate through curbside pickup, delivery, remotely or any other method that doesn’t involve customers entering it building, provided the business takes all reasonable steps to ensure a consistent six-foot distance between people.

The order also mandates that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 (other than one institutionalized) shall quarantine to their home for 14 days. Those people aren’t to leave their home for any reason other than to seek medical treatment. If they need help, the order says to contact the Alabama Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).

Anything addressed in previous statewide health orders also remain in effect through April 30, 2020.

During the news conference where Governor Ivey announced the stay-at-home order, Attorney General Steve Marshall spoke on the legality of this order. He said that anyone found not following the order can be charged with a crime. He said ignoring the order is a Class-C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. He also said “each day can bring an additional charge.”