Mississippi

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Executive Order 1466

Executive Summary

The Mississippi Executive Order requires all citizens living within the State to stay at home except for “essential activities or travel” as defined in the Order, and requires all businesses and operations in the State, except “essential businesses and operations,” (as defined in Executive Order 1463) to cease all activities except minimum operations.  The Order incorporates the CISA Essential Critical Infrastructure list; however, the Order also lists numerous other “essential businesses and operations” and provides for designations by the MS Dept. of Health, Emergency Management, or other appropriate agency of the State, as well as businesses in the supply chain to other essential businesses and operations.  Entertainment venues, athletic facilities and social clubs are ordered closed to the public.  Essential Businesses and Operations must follow certain social distancing requirements.

Summary of Order

• Issued on April 1, 2020; Effective as of April 3, 2020 at 5:00 pm.
• Terminates on April 20, 2020 at 8:00 am.
• The Order requires every person in Mississippi to stay at home except where necessary to perform Essential Activities or Travel, including going to work at an Essential Business.
• In addition to the CISA List, and pursuant to Executive Order 1463, the following are deemed Essential Businesses and Operations:
  • Government operations
  • Healthcare
  • Infrastructure operations
  • Manufacturing facilities
  • Agricultural operations and farms
  • Essential retailers (subject to more stringent Social Distancing Requirements as set forth below)
    • Supermarkets
    • Food and beverage stores
    • Convenience stores
    • Pharmacies
    • Hardware stores
    • Gas stations
    • Restaurants and bars, but only to the extent:
      • Not more than 10 people are gathered in a single space at the same time where individuals are in seated or close proximity to each other, or
      • For carry out and delivery
  • Essential services
    • Trash collection
    • Mailing services
    • Home repair
    • Automotive sales and repair
    • Warehousing
    • Distribution
    • Laundromats
  • Media
  • Education operations
  • Financial services
  • Professional services
  • Providers of basic needs for disadvantaged individuals
  • Construction
  • Essential public services
  • Defense industrial base
  • Essential services or product providers
    • Logistics
    • Transportation
    • Technology support
    • Medical waste disposal
    • Childcare programs
    • Services needed to continue the operation of Essential Business and Operations
  • Religious entities
  • Other state-designated essential business and operations (as defined by specific State agencies)
• Minimum Operations means:
  • Managing inventory
  • Maintain condition of facilities, premises and equipment
  • Ensure security
  • Processing payroll and benefits
  • Facilitating work from home activities.
• The following businesses are required to close to the public:
  • Entertainment venues
  • Athletic facilities
  • Social clubs
• Evictions are suspended in the State for the duration of the Order; however, tenants are still required to pay rent.

Social Distancing Requirements

Essential Businesses and Operations must take all reasonable measures to ensure compliance with the CDC and MS Dept. of Health including:

• Social distancing
• Sending sick employees home
• Actively encouraging sick employees to stay home
• Separating and sending home employees who appear to have respiratory illness symptoms

Enforcement

Nothing in the Order limits local municipalities from enacting more restrictive measures to contain and restrict the transmission of COVID-19, provided, however, that such restrictions shall not limit Essential Business and Operations from performing essential functions and services.

CISA List

Critical infrastructure sectors listed in CISA guidance (check list at link above for detailed list of worker functions):

• Healthcare / Public Health
• Law Enforcement, Public Safety, and Other First Responders
• Food and Agriculture
• Energy — Natural Gas, Natural Gas Liquids (NGL), Propane, and Other Liquid Fuels
• Water and Wastewater
• Transportation and Logistics
• Public Works and Infrastructure Support Services
• Communications and Information Technology
• Other Community- or Government-Based Operations and Essential Functions
• Critical Manufacturing
• Hazardous Materials
• Financial Services
• Chemical
• Defense Industrial Base
• Commercial Facilities
• Residential/Shelter Facilities and Services
• Hygiene Products and Services