HUDSON—According to the May 31 county-issued Covid-19 press release, this past week Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.34, which addresses the ability of store owners to require customers to wear a face-covering inside their store.
The order says that business operators and building owners can require anyone over the age of two, who is medically able to tolerate a face-covering, to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face-covering in order to come inside.
The proprietor can legally deny admittance to individuals who fail to comply by not wearing a face-covering; or make that person leave or be removed from the store if they don’t comply.
The store owner or operator will not be subject to “a claim of violation of the covenant of quiet enjoyment, or frustration of purpose” just because they enforce the face-covering directive. State and local enforcement authorities also have the authority to impose fines or other penalties upon those who violate the face-covering requirement. “This directive shall be applied in a manner consistent with the American with Disabilities Act or any provision of either New York State or New York City Human Rights Law, or any other provision of law,” the Governor’s order said.
The Columbia County Department of Health (DOH) reports the number of county-wide deaths remains at 33 for a second day as of May 31 at noon.