Governor Lee issued Executive Order 29 on Friday, to allow restaurants to reopen at limited capacity. The order created questions as some local governments considered issuing their own reopening plans and what that would mean in conjunction with Governor’s Lee Tennessee Pledge. Today, Attorney General Herbert Slatery issued a legal opinion on Governor Lee’s executive orders, and if they may supersede local orders. The Tennessee Chamber has closely the situation to ensure that businesses get clear and concise updates in regards to reopening.
General Slatery’s opinion is beneficial for businesses to know which political subdivision to abide by and eliminates the possibility of a myriad of rules that would be problematic to business’s opening successfully. The governor’s emergency powers trump the authority of local health departments to issue restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a rare legal opinion issued by state Attorney General Herbert Slatery. Governor Bill Lee, who has launched a re-opening of some businesses in recent executive orders, then decreed that restaurants across the state, could reopen today for dine-in under strict health conditions. He said the re-opening in large cities was subject to the approval of the County Health Department. The opinion was requested by Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) It’s just the seventh legal opinion issued by Slatery’s office this year.
For more information and related topics: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Dashboard–Attorney-General-Slatery-Opinion-Brings-Clarity-to-Businesses-Across-State.html?soid=1126878176488&aid=dlS3WTie38E