MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It appears Shelby County leaders are prepared to start fining people who refuse to wear masks.
Shelby County commissioners introduced the idea last week with little notice, and passed it on its first reading.
Wednesday, they’ve called a special meeting to vote on the measure again.
Under the proposal, sponsored by Van Turner, the Shelby County Health Department would be given authority to fine people $50 if they’re caught without a mask in public. They’d also be able to fine business owners who break the rules.
Read the proposed ordinance
And that’s not the only new rule being talked about.
The health department is also considering a move back to the “safer at home” orders we saw earlier this year, which closed many businesses seen as “non-essential.”
County health officer Dr. Bruce Randolph said that policy could take effect if the average number of new cases hits 750 or more.
“With the escalating numbers that we’re facing, and even based on the health directive that we’ve stated, is that if our new cases get to 750 or more, one of the responses is the return to ‘Safer at Home.’ That would be a recommendation but also the policy makers would have to implement and endorse that,” Randolph said Tuesday.
To put that in perspective, Tuesday there were nearly 900 new cases in Shelby County. Monday, there were nearly 1,000.
Related: Shelby County shuts 6 restaurants for violating COVID-19 health order