Gov. Bill Lee
Governor Bill Lee will allow the order for Tennesseans to remain at home to expire April 30, with the vast majority of businesses in 89 counties allowed to re-open on May 1.
The reopening of business will be coordinated by Lee’s new Economic Recovery Group (ERG), a joint effort between state departments, members of the legislature, and leaders from the private sector to build guidance to safely reboot Tennessee’s economy. Tennessee is one of the first states where the Governor is actively engaging business leaders to plan the reopening of the state’s economy.
“COVID-19 has not only created a public health crisis, it has hurt thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of hardworking Tennesseans,” said Gov. Lee. “As we work to safely open Tennessee’s economy, this group will provide guidance to industries across the state on the best ways to get Tennesseans back to work.
“Our Economic Recovery Group is working with industry leaders around the clock so that some businesses can open as soon as Monday, April 27.
These businesses will open according to specific guidance that we will provide in accordance with state and national experts in both medicine and business.”
The Group will be led by Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development, Mark Ezell. The group will consist of around 200 participants from across the state that will be helping the Governor ensure that public health and safety be made a priority as Tennesseans get back to work and the economy begins to reopen.
Advance Financial CEO,
Tina Hodges
Among those participants will be Tina Hodges, CEO of Nashville-based Advance Financial.
“I’m so proud to join this group of business and civic leaders to help Governor Lee plan a path forward for our state,” said Hodges.
The Lee Administration will work with Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox and Sullivan counties and their health departments as they plan their own re-open strategies.
“While I am not extending the safer at home order past the end of April, we are working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely as possible,” said Lee.
“Social distancing works, and as we open up our economy it will be more important than ever that we keep social distancing as lives and livelihoods depend on it.”
