Will mask citations pick up again in Miami-Dade? It may depend where you are
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Miami-Dade County, and experts say another round of holiday travel could further exacerbate the spread of disease.
For local leaders, that means the pressure is on to keep cases stable in their cities to minimize the burden on hospitals and limit community spread. But their approaches on how to accomplish that goal still vary somewhat.
In a resolution passed unanimously Tuesday by the Miami-Dade County League of Cities, local leaders underscored their support of the county’s emergency order requiring masks in public places but didn’t include any language supporting civil citations for those who violate it.
League of Cities Vice President and Pinecrest Mayor Joe Corradino had told the Miami Herald late last week that the League of Cities planned to poll its 34 municipalities on their support for issuing citations for mask violations, even as Gov. Ron DeSantis prevents cities from collecting fines for violations of COVID-19 orders.
At a press conference Tuesday to roll out a new messaging campaign to combat COVID, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she wanted county police to start issuing citations again for people who refuse to wear a mask after being offered one by an officer.
County police issued zero mask citations in November, despite claims in late September by then-Mayor Carlos Gimenez that the county would keep issuing mask citations and pursue the $100 fines once the governor’s collection freeze expired.
But instead of focusing on specific enforcement measures, the League of Cities decided to focus more broadly on support for the county’s pro-mask campaign. The resolution was a response to Levine Cava’s messaging, Corradino said, and is meant to bring a “unified approach” to her goal of following up on enforcement methods and reminding people to do their part.
“Every municipality will deal with it in the way they see fit,” said Corradino. “We all support the county mayor’s thoughts that we need to continue with the mask ordinance.”
The resolution says the League of Cities supports the county’s emergency order, which requires everyone in Miami-Dade to wear a mask or face covering in public places unless they fall into one of the county’s exceptions.
County mayor wants more COVID options
At her press conference Tuesday, Levine Cava acknowledged the county could use some stronger measures to combat a surge in cases.
“Fines would be nice,” she said.
DeSantis stripped cities and counties of their most used enforcement powers in September, when he suspended the collection of fines for violating COVID-19 orders and also banned any orders that kept businesses closed to prevent coronavirus spread.
That order forced Miami-Dade to reopen bars and nightclubs and put an effective cap on the county’s issuing of mask citations.
Corradino noted that the mask ordinance never went away, and that while fines can’t be collected until the state of emergency status is lifted, citations can still be issued.
The county’s city managers association recently surveyed its members and found that, as of Dec. 2, most municipalities have some sort of mechanism in place to “ensure compliance.” But only a handful said they were giving out citations on a second or third offense.
Miami Beach said during Thanksgiving week that its police would resume citations for those who flout the rules.
Key Biscayne to issue warnings
Key Biscayne officials also said this week that police would start issuing warnings and handing out masks to people who are not wearing face coverings in public places, followed by notices of violation for subsequent offenses.
“We want to show the police chief and his force that we support them in enforcing the mask mandate,” Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey said. “I don’t think it’s asking people a lot to wear a facial covering when you’re outside around other people.”
Coral Gables seems to be taking a similar approach. “The city’s emergency orders track the county’s and allow for enforcement of the facial covering requirements by the imposition of a warning followed by a citation,” reads the city’s response to the survey. “Fines are being deferred for now.”
But in quieter, residential cities including Pinecrest, officials say compliance is generally less of an issue.
“Since the order by the governor in September 2020, the Bay Harbor Islands Police Department has not issued any civil citations for mask violations,” reads one response.
In Doral, officials reported that code compliance officers were handing out masks “on a proactive basis.” But, they said, “we are not issuing citations for this.”
Despite the efforts of local leaders like Levine Cava and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, DeSantis hasn’t budged. The League of Cities voted Nov. 25 to have Suarez make a presentation to the governor to show that the latest COVID surge in Miami-Dade has coincided with DeSantis’ move to limit local authority in late September. But Suarez says DeSantis hasn’t returned his calls.
The Republican-led Florida Legislature has also disregarded calls for a statewide mask mandate, which Democrats have pushed as a basic solution to slow the spread of the virus.
Republican Rep. Mike Caruso has also been outspoken on the issue, and recently told the Palm Beach Post he intends to push for a statewide mask mandate during the 2021 session.
This story was originally published December 10, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
