Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: November 18, 2020 – Edition #132

By

Ballotpedia staff

We want to keep you updated during this time of rapid change in states’ coronavirus restrictions and policies. This will be the first mini edition of Documenting America’s Path to Recovery, which will provide updates on upcoming changes in the next 24 hours and details on what changed since our last edition, with none of our normal Tuesday and Thursday context sections. Mini updates will also be sent out on Nov. 20 and Nov. 23. We’ll reassess the need for continued daily updates after Thanksgiving based on the volume of the news.

Welcome to Documenting America’s Path to Recovery, where we track the status of reopening in all 50 states and summarize major changes due to the coronavirus pandemic in politics, government, and elections. Today we look at a temporary curfew in Ohio, new coronavirus restrictions in Delaware, and much more. Want to know what we covered yesterday? Click here.

The next 24 hours

What is changing in the next 24 hours?

  • Ohio (Republican trifecta): On Tuesday, Nov. 17, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced a three-week, statewide curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The curfew does not apply to people going to work, shopping for food, or seeking medical attention. The order takes effect Nov. 19.
  • Oklahoma (Republican trifecta): On Monday, Nov. 16, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) announced that face coverings would be required on state property, and bars and restaurants would have to close by 11 p.m. for indoor service beginning Nov. 19.

Since our last edition

What is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here.

  • Colorado (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Jared Polis announced 15 counties will move back to the red phase of reopening, effective Nov. 20. The state also added a stricter purple risk level to the reopening procedures to try and avoid another stay-at-home order.
  • Delaware (Democratic trifecta): Gov. John Carney (D) issued additional restrictions, effective Nov. 23. Indoor gatherings at homes will be limited to 10 people, with a 50-person cap for outdoor gatherings. Religious and political gatherings will be limited to the lesser of 30% of a venue’s capacity or 50 people. Restaurants will also be limited to 30% indoor capacity, and face coverings will be required at all times in gyms.
  • Illinois (Democratic trifecta): Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced additional statewide mitigation measures, effective Nov. 20. Restaurants and bars will not be able to offer indoor service, casinos and museums will be required to close, and gyms will have to cease indoor group classes. Retailers will have to reduce capacity from 50% to 25%.
  • Maryland (divided government): On Tuesday, Nov. 17, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) issued an emergency order that requires bars and restaurants to end indoor service by 10 p.m. and limits capacity at retail stores and religious facilities to 50%. Additionally, the order prohibits fans from attending racetracks or sports stadiums. The order takes effect Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. 
  • Mississippi (Republican trifecta): Gov. Tate Reeves (R) added seven counties to the state’s targeted mask mandate order, bringing the total number of counties with face-covering requirements to 22. The order is effective through Dec. 11.
  • Michigan (divided government): On Nov. 15, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced a three-week ban on indoor dining and in-person high school and college instruction across the state beginning Nov. 18. She also announced that events at movie theaters, concert halls, and other indoor entertainment venues had been canceled. 
  • Montana (divided government): Gov. Steve Bullock (D) announced additional mitigation measures, effective Nov. 20. Gatherings will be limited to 25 people when social distancing is not possible. Bars, restaurants, and casinos will have a 10 p.m. curfew every night and will be limited to 50% capacity.
  • North Carolina (divided government): On Tuesday, Nov. 17, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) and Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) Dr. Mandy Cohen unveiled a new county alert system that tracks the spread of COVID-19 across the state. 
  • Oregon (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Kate Brown (D) issued statewide restrictions effective Nov. 18 through Dec. 2. The order limits restaurants to delivery and curbside pickup services. Social gatherings are limited to six people or less. Gyms and all indoor and outdoor recreational facilities (including zoos, pools, and museums) are closed. Religious services are limited to 25 people indoors or 50 people outdoors. The order does not change restrictions on personal care service businesses like barbershops.
  • Pennsylvania (divided government): Health Secretary Rachel Levine announced new mitigation measures, including travel restrictions and expanded mask requirements. Starting Nov. 18, masks are required indoors (including gyms and public transportation) whenever people from separate households are in the same space, even if social distancing can be kept. Face coverings are required in all outdoor spaces unless social distancing for non-household members can be maintained at all times. Effective Nov. 20, all travelers from out-of-state will be required to show a negative coronavirus test from the last 72 hours before they arrive. If they cannot present a test, they will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
  • Washington (Democratic trifecta): On Sunday, Nov. 14, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced that all counties would need to reimpose some coronavirus restrictions. Effective Nov. 16, social gatherings with members of a different household are prohibited unless those individuals quarantine for 14 days or quarantine for seven days and receive a negative COVID-19 test. Additionally, outdoor social gatherings are limited to five people from outside the household. The new restrictions also include closing gyms, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and capacity restrictions on retail stores. Beginning Wednesday, Nov. 18, restaurants and bars are closed to indoor service, while outdoor service is limited to a maximum of five people. 
  • New Jersey, Connecticut (Democratic trifecta): Govs. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) and Ned Lamont (D-Conn.) added Vermont to their states’ travel advisories. New Jersey has 46 states and territories on its advisory list, and Connecticut has 47.