URGENT BAR CLOSURE CLARIFICATION

FRLA has received numerous inquiries regarding DBPR Emergency Order 2020-09, which prohibits the on-premises consumption of alcohol at bars, effective Friday June 26, 2020.

It is FRLA’s understanding that Emergency Order 2020-09 does not alter provisions of Executive Order 20-139, section 4.A., effective June 5, 2020, which states in relevant part that “Restaurants and other establishments…may operate at fifty (50) percent of their indoor capacity, excluding employees, as under Executive order 20-123, Section 1. Bar areas may be open with seated service.”

THIS MEANS THAT RESTAURANT BAR AREAS ARE ALLOWED TO OPERATE AT 50% CAPACITY, WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND SEATED SERVICE ONLY.

These two orders taken together mean SFS (Special Food Service) alcohol licensees, which must, as a condition of license, have sales greater than 50% in food and non-alcohol, remain status quo under EO 20-139, which allows bar top seating with proper party separation, social distancing, and occupancy restricted to 50%.

We caution that your local restrictions may supersede the above, and the overarching objective of EO 2020-09 is preventing crowds from gathering, which businesses have an obligation to actively control.

For additional information, or to report violators of Emergency Order 2020-09, please contact the DBPR Customer Service Hotline at 850-487-1395.

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