Further Florida Executive Orders in Response to COVID-19

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis  has issued two further executive orders in the last seven days to address COVID-19.  Executive Order 20-103 was signed on April 10, 2020 and extends until April 30, 2020 Executive Order 20-87, which had been issued on March 27, 2020 and which had suspended vacation rental operations.  Executive Order 20-87 applies to, amongst other things, houses and condominiums that are “rented for periods of less than 30 days or I calendar month, whichever is less.”  It does not apply to “[h]otels, motels, inns, resorts, non-transient public lodging establishments, or time share projects” as well as “[l]ong-term rentals.”

On April 16, 2020  the governor issued an executive order directed to unemployment compensation reporting requirements.  Under Executive Order 20-104, those “actively seeking work” need not report bi-weekly as normally required by state law “only to the extent necessary.”

On April 8, 2020 and also in response to COVID-19,  the Florida Supreme Court announced that it is cancelling all of the educational programs provided by the Court through the end of September.  This includes the Florida Dispute Resolution Center’s  Annual Conference for Mediators which had been scheduled for August. In addition, on  August 7, 2020 Chief Justice Charles T. Canady of the Florida Supreme Court issued Administrative Order 20-24, which addresses a number of  issues  with respect to alternative dispute resolution during the coronavirus pandemic.  Amongst other things, Administrative Order 20-24 provides:

• The requirement of in-person training for those seeking their mediation certification is suspended through December 31, 2020;
• Mediation primary and assistant trainers are granted an extension of their renewal requirements through December 31, 2020; and
• The requirement that mediators who are seeking to renew their certification receive eight of the 16 hours of  the mandated Continuing Mediator Education every two years via a live course or courses is suspended through December 31, 2020.

As the law continues to evolve on these matters, please note that this article is current as of date and time of publication and may not reflect subsequent developments. The content and interpretation of the issues addressed herein is subject to change. Cole Schotz P.C. disclaims any and all liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents of this publication to the fullest extent permitted by law. This is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Do not act or refrain from acting upon the information contained in this publication without obtaining legal, financial and tax advice.  For further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your firm contact or to any of the attorneys listed in this publication.