Governor Ron DeSantis just announced that most of Florida will enter phase two of his reopening plan starting Friday, June 5. Phase two expands the allowable parameters of operation for several forms of business activity, including:

• restaurants and other establishments, and bars and other vendors licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, may operate at fifty (50) percent of their indoor capacity, including bar areas that may be open with seated service;

• entertainment businesses – movie theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys, and arcades – may operate at fifty (50) percent of their building capacity;

• pari-mutuel facilities may seek to operate with a written request submitted from the County Mayor or County Administrator to DBPR and approval of DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears; and

• personal services – tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture, tanning, and massage – may operate with appropriate safety guidelines from the Florida Department of Health.

The governments of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties will need to separately request progression to phase two, so there are no current changes for businesses in those areas. Scroll down to see the Governor’s announcement and key excerpts of the state’s guidance (full document here).

Note: Florida’s coronavirus situation is changing rapidly. Click here to view the most-recent updates on the regulatory response affecting hotels, restaurants, bars, and others in the alcoholic beverage industry. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s frequently-updated resource page is available here.