McKee establishes ‘task force’ to police for violators of mask mandate

Updated at 5:15 p.m.

GOV. DANIEL J. MCKEE SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER on Thursday broadly outlining plans to enforce a 30-day indoor mask mandate at businesses and other workplaces throughout Rhode Island. / PBN FILE PHOTO/CASSIUS SHUMAN

PROVIDENCE – An executive order signed by Gov. Daniel J. McKee on Thursday broadly outlines Rhode Island’s plans to enforce an indoor mask mandate that starts on Dec. 20, establishing a task force assigned with policing businesses, workplaces and other establishments for compliance.

McKee’s executive order states that R.I. Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott will have the power to assess unspecified civil penalties for violations of the indoor masking order, which is lasting through Jan. 18, when the governor may renew or end the policy.

McKee spokesperson Alana O’Hare said it’s not his goal to penalize people and that businesses would first be given warnings to comply with the indoor masking policy. She said the task force established by McKee’s new executive order operates under the same statute as the one established under former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic.

O’Hare released a statement later on Thursday afternoon stating that the task force would be responding to reports it receives about noncompliance, while also conducting “spot checks” at businesses and workplaces. Violators would first be warned, O’Hare said, before “further actions are authorized against business owners who are not willing” to comply.

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“The administration will enforce new COVID-19 measures through a combination of spot checks conducted by the Department of Business Regulation, as well as investigation of reports submitted to DBR regarding non-compliance,” O’Hare said in an email. “The intent is to bring businesses into compliance with new regulations. For that reason, enforcement will be carried out under a progressive approach, starting with the issuance of a warning followed by other measures for subsequent violations.”

The governor announced the temporary policy at a press conference on Wednesday, stating that indoor masking would be required in any venue or business with a capacity of more than 250 people, with stores and workplaces with a smaller capacity required to enforce indoor masking for any guest or employee who cannot prove they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19.

The executive order states that the task force will be composed of inspectors from the Department of Business Regulation and the Department of Health, along with other state agencies as necessary.

The executive order also lists situations when people would be exempt from the mask mandate, such as college athletes and entertainers who have been vaccinated. The policy states that masks are not required when communication would be impeded with a person suffering a hearing impediment, when people are working alone at a job site, when people are involved in religious ceremonies such as receiving communion at church and when speaking during broadcasts or before audiences when no one is within 6 feet of the speaker. Anyone who is eating or drinking is also exempt, the policy states.

While professional and college athletes are exempt if they can show proof of vaccination, athletes in grade school through high school are not exempt from the mask order, the policy states.

(Update: ADDS 4th and 5th paragraphs with further comment from governor’s office.)

Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. RI has one of the highest vaccine rates (87% at least 1 dose and 75% fully vaccinated of total pop.) Seems to be a waste of resources chasing after the 13%/25% and for what? to fine the businesses bringing revenue to the state? What will that accomplish? Leave the 13% behind—lost cause. Focus on supporting the 87%. Better use of resources would be to focus on getting people boosted and increasing availability of the monoclonal treatments.