ATLANTA — With Georgia's stay-at-home order going into effect at 6 p.m. on April 3 in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, many are asking what happens if you violate Gov. Brian Kemp's executive order.
It's simple. You are breaking the law and committing a misdemeanor, which is a crime in the state of Georgia.
According to the governor's office, "If you are not sheltering in place and none of the four exceptions for for essential services, minimum basic operations, critical infrastructure, or necessary travel applies to your activities," you will receive a warning from law enforcement and risk facing criminal charges if you fail to comply.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia State Patrol will be taking the lead in enforcing the order, Gov. Kemp said.
For businesses who violate the order and remain open when they should be closed, Kemp authorized the Department of Public Health, the Department of Public Safety and basically any other state officer the governor or Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security deputizes to enforce the restrictions.
This order replaces all other orders from cities and counties who had previously implemented stay-at-home orders or curfews over the past few weeks.
More than 5,400 Georgians have now been infected with COVID-19, according to the figures released in Thursday night's update. Nearly 180 people have died from the virus, with more than 1,110 people hospitalized.
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