Executive Order 2020-020: Supplemental Declaration of Municipal Emergency - Face Masks Expansion

Supplemental Declaration of Municipal Emergency
Executive Order 2020-049
April 18, 2020

WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, the State of Rhode Island Governor, Gina M. Raimondo, issued Executive Order 20-02 declaring a state of emergency due to the outbreak of COVID-19; and 

WHEREAS, on March 15, 2020, Mayor Roberto L. DaSilva, issued Executive Order 2020-004 declaring a state of municipal emergency due to the outbreak of COVID-19; and 

WHEREAS, on April 17, 2020, Mayor DaSilva issued Executive Order 2020-018, requiring the wearing of cloth face coverings by employees of customer/client facing businesses and non-profit organizations, office-based businesses and non-profit organizations, and any other such business category as determined by the Department of Business Regulation (DBR) within the City of East Providence; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order 2020-018 also requires said businesses and non-profit organizations to take steps to require customers to wear face coverings through the posting of signage and any other requirements from DBR; and  

WHEREAS, in order to contain the spread of COVID-19, it is necessary to expand the requirement to wear face coverings to all situations in which social distancing cannot be maintained in public.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mayor Roberto L. DaSilva, by virtue of the authority vested in me as the Mayor of the City of East Providence, pursuant to the Rhode Island General Laws and the Home Rule Charter of the City of East Providence, do hereby order and direct the following: 

1. Any individual over the age of two (2) and able to medically tolerate a face covering shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face covering when in public and unable to maintain, or not maintaining, social distancing guidelines as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the City of East Providence.
2. All customers who are able to medically tolerate the wearing of a face covering within a business or non-profit organization in the City of East Providence, regardless of the capacity or layout of the business or non-profit organization, shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face covering at all times. If an individual is in violation of this order, the business or non-profit organization has the right to refuse entry or service to the individual on the grounds of protecting the health and safety of all individuals within the business or non-profit organization. 
3. Any business or non-profit organization currently operating within the City of East Providence shall post clear signage at all of its entrances, which are accessible to customers, regarding the requirement of the wearing of masks or cloth face coverings while in the business or non-profit organization. This signage may include reference to this Order and the exemptions in which the requirement may not apply. 
   • If the business or non-profit organization currently operating within the City of East Providence operates out of a unit within a commercial building, signage must be posted at both the entrance to the unit and building.  

This Order shall take effect Wednesday April 22, 2020, and remain in full force and effect through May 8, 2020, unless extended by and with the consent of the City Council.