SACRAMENTO – In the past few days, Governor Newsom has issued a statewide Executive Order and specific Industry Guidance Documents related to the COVID-19 crisis. However, at this time, the legally enforceable requirements are coming ONLY from local jurisdictions through cities, counties and local Departments of Public Health.
Currently, the only local jurisdictions we are aware of that have issued legally binding restrictions on businesses are the six counties in the Bay Area (see below).
Please be prepared for other local jurisdictions throughout the state to individually respond to COVID-19 hotspots in your own local communities. Importantly, while other jurisdictions are free to adopt their own requirements, they may use the Bay Area specific language on “construction” as a precedent or model for their own orders. (see below)
Bay Area counties — Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Cruz and Marin, and the city of Berkeley – all issued the same order, which can be found HERE.
Article 10 section C:
For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to the operations and maintenance of “Essential Infrastructure,” including, but not limited to, public works construction, construction of housing (in particular affordable housing or housing for individuals experiencing homelessness), airport operations, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste collection and removal, internet, and telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services, business infrastructure, communications, and web-based services), provided that they carry out those services or that work in compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined this Section, to the extent possible.
We will continue to provide you with updates as conditions change. Please feel free to contact us if you should have questions or need additional assistance. CAL SMACNA (916) 363-7460 or Emily Mills at emily@cal-smacna.org.