Tampa, Fla. – May 7, 2020 – Richard M. Blau, chair of GrayRobinson's alcohol beverage, food law, and cannabis industry departments, and shareholder in the firm’s Tampa law firm office, was quoted in the Tampa Bay Times article, "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Mask ... No Service?" The article discusses the increase in customer face masks policies at retailers reopening or operating during the COVID-19 outbreak. While some local governments have passed mask laws, Tampa Bay has no such mandate the publication reveals.
Mr. Blau explains that creating mask policies are within business owners’ rights, similar to requiring customers to wear shoes and a shirt to receive service. Someone could attempt an argument that a law requiring a mask is against their constitutional rights, but that argument generally is irrelevant when it comes to what a private business asks of its customers, said Mr. Blau. Read the full article here.