Spring has dawned and there are few things anyone wants to do more than go outside, meet with friends, and enjoy the weather. However, COVID-19 remains a danger for a lot of us. Yet, without patrons, many businesses have been forced to close. Beach communities rely on beach-goers and shoobies to sustain themselves. Without them, whole towns could go under. So what is New Jersey doing about re-opening the state? Could fully re-opening New Jersey be as dangerous as some people make it sound? We’ll cover this and more as we discuss current laws and guidelines for re-opening New Jersey.

Re-Opening New Jersey Plan

First, officials have been discussing plans to re-open the state for quite a while now. Let’s broadly review what this plan entails.

• Non-essential Construction Begins – beginning on May 18, non-essential construction can begin again. Although they must maintain proper social distancing.
• Curbside Pick-Up at Non-Essential Retailers Begins – also beginning May 18, retail businesses may offer curbside pick-up. However, in-store operations must remain closed. Retailers can offer various ways to make orders, such as online, text, or email.
• Car Gatherings – gatherings in cars do not violate social distancing rules. Nevertheless, attendees must remain inside their vehicle at all times except to use the restroom or in case of an emergency.

With these measures, the state is trying to ease into normalcy. If COVID-19 cases remain low over the next few weeks, we can expect things to return to normal soon.

Re-Opening New Jersey Beaches

Second, what about New Jersey beaches? Summer is approaching fast. If beach communities don’t get visitors soon, then whole towns could suffer. Thankfully, Governor Murphy will allow beaches to open in a limited way starting Memorial Day weekend. In fact, some beaches like Ocean City have quietly opened already. In short, the governor decided that local communities have the right to decide what measures to impose and how to impose them. Therefore, if you plan on visiting the beaches, make sure you know the guidelines for whichever beach you visit. Expect differences in protocol depending on the city. For example, some communities may open their boardwalks, some might not. Some will have specific times that allow for swimming, and others different times. Know the law!

Need a Lawyer?

Regardless of how you feel about COVID-19 and re-opening New Jersey, it’s important to know the law. For cases like this, and others, if you need a lawyer contact the Offices of Mark Catanzaro! He has the experience and wisdom you need to defend your case!