GOP calls to ‘Reopen NC’ mount as some politicians say the state is moving too slowly
Pressure from Republican politicians to speed up North Carolina’s economic reopening is growing, as Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper continues to say moving too quickly could endanger public health during the coronavirus pandemic.
On Thursday a group of Republicans in the N.C. House of Representatives filed a bill that would render several of Cooper’s executive orders related to COVID-19 almost entirely powerless. Cooper has used executive orders to shut down hair salons and bars, and to enforce rules on social distancing and mass gatherings.
And in the other legislative chamber on Thursday, Republican Senate leader Phil Berger called on Cooper to lift his order that restaurants can only be open for takeout or delivery. They should be able to fully reopen, Berger said.
“Other states, including the majority of those in the Southeast, have reviewed the same science, facts, and data as Gov. Cooper has, and reached a different conclusion on reopening restaurants,” Berger said in a press release. “Gov. Cooper has not articulated his administration’s overarching goal or strategy. Why is he making different decisions based on the same information?”
The pro-reopen bill, if it becomes law, would let all businesses — not just restaurants — violate Cooper’s orders with no punishment except for a negligible fine.
Republicans in the N.C. Senate already filed the same bill last week. At the time it was met with cheers from leaders of the Reopen NC protest movement — and with criticism from Cooper.
“Hairdressers, for example, will not be in jeopardy of losing their license if they defy this executive order,” said Ashley Smith, a Reopen NC organizer, when the Senate bill was filed. “So this is really huge.”
A spokeswoman for Cooper, Sadie Weiner, told The News & Observer last week: “This is a dangerous bill that irresponsibly encourages people to violate health and safety rules during a pandemic. Governor Cooper is relying on the data and the science to carefully ease restrictions in a way that can boost the economy while protecting public health.”
There are three main parts of the bill. It would:
▪ Remove any criminal penalties against people who violate the executive orders, which currently can be punished by a class 2 misdemeanor.
▪ Reduce the maximum possible fine for violations from $1,000 to $25 for the first violation and $1 for every subsequent violation.
▪ Prohibit state regulatory agencies — like the boards that oversee barbers, salons, spas and other regulated industries — from doing anything to punish businesses that violate the executive orders.
The House and Senate versions of the bill appear to be identical. The House version is HB 1073 and the Senate version is SB 712.
It’s still not guaranteed that the bill would become law even if it does pass the Republican-controlled legislature. Cooper could veto it, and Republicans would need some Democrats to defect in order to override that veto.
In general, public opinion seems to be on Cooper’s side. A poll published Tuesday by Washington Post-Ipsos found that 74% of North Carolinians approve of Cooper’s handling of coronavirus.
Debate over when to reopen
Cooper has announced a three-phase plan for gradually reopening parts of the state’s economy. The state is now in Phase One, which began last week with looser restrictions on retailers plus the ability for some stores, day care facilities and parks to reopen.
By the schedule for reopening Cooper has outlined so far, Phase Two could begin in late May at the earliest, although it could be longer. If Phase Two does start in late May, then Phase Three could potentially begin by late June or early July.
Some Republican politicians, like the legislators who sponsored the bills to largely invalidate Cooper’s orders, believe that’s moving too slowly.
Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, who’s running for governor against Cooper this year, also called on Cooper earlier this week to explain why North Carolina isn’t reopening as quickly as some neighboring states.
Georgia, which has a Republican governor, was one of the last states to issue a stay-at-home order. It was also one of the first to start reopening. NPR reported on Tuesday that the federal government has identified that as a worry, since intensive care units in Georgia are already nearly 80% full and reopening could create a new spike in cases.
Despite both states having roughly the same population, Georgia has reported 1,523 coronavirus deaths as of Thursday — more than double the 615 deaths in North Carolina.
The same Washington Post-Ipsos poll from this week that found 74% approval for Cooper found just 39% approval for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
The News & Observer reported Wednesday that in addition to Forest’s letter, several eastern North Carolina counties are asking to be exempted from Cooper’s coronavirus orders.
“In my opinion it’s a complicated issue, but typically these would be local decisions,” Sen. Jim Perry, a Republican from Kinston, told the N&O.
This story was originally published May 14, 2020 at 2:43 PM with the headline "GOP calls to ‘Reopen NC’ mount as some politicians say the state is moving too slowly."
