As stay-at-home orders expire, states begin to reopen

State stay-at-home orders are expiring across the nation. Many governors are beginning the process of reopening their respective economies. Below is a comprehensive list of how each state is moving forward with their respective COVID-19 response.

Expired stay-at-home orders

Of the states that issued stay-at-home orders, 17 of them were allowed to expire. Most of the orders were lifted on April 30 or will be lifted on Sunday, May 3. All states with expired orders have some sort of reopening plan underway. Nearly all plans involve some variation of a phase-in process. Those states are:

• Alabama – Stay-at-home order expired April 30. “Safer at home” order issued on April 28 and expires May 15. It does not mandate staying at home. Phased-in reopening for businesses that can maintain social distancing. Retailers can reopen with no more than 50% of the normal occupancy load. High-risk businesses still closed (entertainment venues, athletic facilities, close-contact service providers). Schools still closed. Restaurants/bars are still take-out/delivery only.
• Colorado – Stay-at-home order expired April 26. Safer at home order in effect. Retail and personal services can open under certain conditions on May 1. Noncritical offices can reopen under certain conditions on May 4.
• Florida – Order expired April 30. The state is implementing a phased-in reopening. Restaurants may offer outdoor seating with 6-foot space between tables and indoor seating at 25% capacity. Retail can operate at 25% of indoor capacity. No change for bars, gyms, and personal services, such as hairdressers.
• Idaho – Stay-at-home order expired April 30. Effective May 1, the Stage 1 Stay Healthy Order allows the reopening of certain businesses under certain conditions.
• Indiana – Gov. Eric Holcomb announced on Friday, May 1, that he will not extend the stay-at-home order that expires at midnight that night. He also announced a five-phase reopening plan.
• Iowa – Restaurants, fitness centers, malls, libraries, race tracks, and certain other retail establishments to reopen in a limited fashion with public health measures in place effective May 1. Loosens social distancing measures.
• Kansas – Stay-at-home order expires May 3. Phase 1 of reopening begins May 4.
• Kentucky – Although a stay-at-home order was never issued, Kentucky did close all nonessential businesses. Phased-in reopening of businesses begins May 11.
• Mississippi – A less restrictive safer-at-home order replaced the stay-at-home order on April 27 and remains in effect until May 11. The order also reopens certain businesses under certain conditions.
• Missouri – Stay-at-home order expires May 3. Show Me Strong Recovery plan begins May 4 and remains in effect until May 31. The plan lifts stay-at-home orders and opens businesses under certain conditions.
• Montana – Stay-at-home order expired April 26. Orders for businesses expired on April 27. Phase 1 of reopening is underway. Most businesses can resume operations (under certain conditions) beginning May 4. Schools can reopen May 7.
• Ohio – Like Mississippi’s safer-at-home order, a less-restrictive Stay Safe Ohio order issued on April 30 remains in effect until May 29. It keeps in place most parts of the stay-at-home order while opening certain businesses under certain conditions.
• Oklahoma – Never had a stay-at-home order but did have an order shutting down all nonessential businesses, which has expired. Three-phase reopening began on April 24. Phase 2 began on May 1, including reopening of restaurants, entertainment venues and gyms.
• Tennessee – Stay-at-home order expired April 30. Restaurants/retail stores already opening. Gyms to open on May 1. Close-contact businesses to open May 6.
• Texas – Order expired April 30. Reopening plan underway.
• Utah – Stay-at-home order expired May 1. Officially under moderate risk protocols, which can be viewed here.
• West Virginia – A safer-at-home order goes into effect May 4. Less restrictive than the stay-at-home order, it opens most businesses under certain circumstances.

States with existing stay-at-home orders allowing some reopenings

Although most states still have active stay-at-home orders, eight of those states have issued executive orders permitting some businesses to reopen under certain conditions:

• Alaska – Stay-at-home order remains in effect until rescinded. However, COVID-19 Health Mandate 016, Phase I of the Reopen Alaska Responsibly Plan, allows opening of restaurants (limited dine-in services), retail stores (limited in-store shopping), personal service business (limited services) and nonessential businesses (limited services).
• Arizona – Stay-at-home order extended until May 15. Retail businesses are being allowed to begin partial operations.
• Illinois – Order extended through May 30. However, restrictions for some businesses have been loosened.
• Maine – Stay-at-home order extended through May 31. However, Stage 1 of reopening effective May 1.
• Maryland – Maryland Strong Roadmap to Recovery, which will lift stay-at-home order and phase in reopening of businesses, is expected to begin in early May.
• South Carolina – A 15-day extension to the order was issued on April 27. Beaches and limited retail stores opened on April 21.
• Vermont – Stay-at-home order is still in effect indefinitely. However, certain businesses are allowed to reopen.
• Wisconsin – Order is extended through May 26. Some businesses allowed to operate under certain conditions.

States still closed for business

Despite more than half of states starting to open up commerce, there are still 20 states that continue to adhere to strict stay-at-home orders:

• California – Stay-at-home order remains in effect until further notice.
• Connecticut – Order remains in effect until May 20.
• D.C. – Stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 15.
• Delaware – Order remains in effect through May 15.
• Georgia – Although the stay-at-home order was lifted for most residents on April 30, it is still in effect for businesses through May 13.
• Hawaii – – Stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 31.
• Louisiana – Stay-at-home order remains in effect until May 15.
• Massachusetts – Order remains in effect until May 18.
• Michigan – Stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 15. Certain business closures extended until May 28.
• Minnesota – – Order remains in effect until May 18.
• Nevada – Stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 15. A set of criteria is outlined in the Nevada United Roadmap to Recovery plan.
• New Hampshire – Order remains in effect until May 15.
• New Jersey – Stay-at-home order remains in effect until further notice. Reopening plan explains six key principles to lift restrictions.
• New Mexico – Stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 15.
• New York – Order remains in effect through May 15. Phase-in plan can be viewed here.
• North Carolina – Stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 8. Three-phase plan may begin as soon as May 9.
• Oregon – Order remains in effect until further notice. Criteria for reopening established on April 14.
• Pennsylvania – Order remains in effect until May 8. Yellow phase of reopening plan may begin May 9.
• Rhode Island – Stay-at-home order remains in effect through May 8. Three-phase plan to reopen released on April 27.
• Virginia – Stay-at-home order remains in effect until June 10, the latest established end date in the nation. Criteria for reopening explained here.

Washington state’s stay-at-home order expires May 4. However, Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to extend the order while making amendments to reopen businesses. As of publication, the governor had not held the news conference scheduled for Friday, May 1.

Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were the few states to never issue a statewide stay-at-home order or something similar.

For a comprehensive list of all state orders and regulations, check out Land Line’s COVID-19 resource page.