3 Days After Enacting, Hillsborough Rescinds Coronavirus Curfew

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Members of the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group voted Thursday afternoon to rescind a countywide curfew that went into effect Monday night.

While the EPG members said the 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew had been enacted with good intentions -- to stop the spread of the coronavirus -- they felt the order confused some people. The EPG agreed to revisit the issue if the number of violations of the countywide safer-at-home order increases.

In a 5-3 vote at a meeting Monday afternoon, the Emergency Policy Group enacted the curfew following complaints about large gatherings of people taking place in the evenings in defiance of the safer-at-home order prohibiting gatherings of groups of 10 or more people.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman, Temple Terrace Acting Mayor Andy Ross and Plant City Mayor Rick Lott voted against the curfew.

On Thursday, Hillsborough County School Board chairwoman Melissa Snively made the motion to cancel the curfew with Lott seconding it.

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Overman commended Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Les Miller, who heads the EPG, for proposing the curfew in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus but said it created confusion since the stay-at-home order already mandates that residents remain home unless they need to go out for essential errands.

“I think what's readily clear by what Commissioner Miller said is that it is imperative that our citizens follow the stay-at-home guidelines and understand the rule,” Overman said.

After enacting the curfew, Miller said he was villainized receiving about 600 emails criticizing his motion to enact the curfew, some calling him a Nazi.

Hillsborough County civil rights attorney Patrick Laduc also challenged the curfew, calling its enactment "haphazard." He threatened to sue the county, saying the EPG made the curfew effective only hours after voting on it without receiving any input from the community.

“Every time the government plays that game with us, that it’s a matter of life and death, slowly but surely we lose civil liberties," he said.

The Hillsborough County EPG modeled its curfew after one enacted in Osceola County March 20.

In addition to reversing its decision on a countywide curfew, the EPG backed off a proposal to mandate that residents wear face masks when out in public.

The Centers for Disease Control has recommended the use of face coverings to slow the spread of the virus, and prevent people who may have the virus and are asymptomatic from unknowingly transmitting it to others.

Instead of making it a mandate, the EPG sent out an appeal to residents to use face masks in public and reiterated the necessity of limiting gatherings and maintaining social distancing.

The Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group is made up of three county commissioners, the mayors of Plant City, Tampa and Temple Terrace, the sheriff and chairwoman of the school board.

In other action, EPG members:

• Extended a state of local emergency for seven days.
• Put its support behind the newly created Economic Recovery Task Force, which will develop recommendations regarding accelerating economic recovery through re-employment and retraining of dislocated workers, supporting local businesses and developing recovery strategies.
• Received a report that Hillsborough County will be launching a community survey this week to gain insights into the attitudes of residents concerning coronavirus testing. The information will be used to guide additional outreach and communications efforts.

The next EPG meeting is scheduled Monday, April 20 at 1:30 p.m.