FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9th, 2020
Baton Rouge, LA- In a resolution passed by the LAGOP Executive Committee, authored by Party Secretary Mike Bayham, the LAGOP calls on Governor John Bel Edwards to allow individual parish governing authorities wherein Corona-virus infections have fallen and local hospitals possess sufficient treatment capacity, to begin moving their jurisdictions into Phase 3. This follows recently passed resolutions by the parish governments of Jefferson, St. Tammany, and St. Bernard, which expressed a similar position.
Under the current Phase 2 restrictions, bars are limited to take-out only and businesses such as shopping malls, reception halls, and restaurants, have a maximum allowed occupancy of 50%. Phase 3 would relax the aforementioned restrictions on occupancy, and nursing home visits would be permitted under certain conditions. Many business leaders have long advocated for a Phase 3 regional implementation, as this would expand economic activity and allow more people to return to work.
"Every parish is experiencing this pandemic in different ways. So a “one size fits all” strategy is both impractical and actively harmful for our state," said LAGOP Chairman Louis Gurvich. "We must trust our local leaders with the flexibility to do what is best for their parishes citizens and businesses.”