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New Orleans will begin phase two of reopening on Saturday, June 13, allowing bars and casinos to open and restaurants to double their current occupancy, Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced Tuesday.
The city did not enter phase two along with the rest of Louisiana on June 5, when bars without food permits and casinos in other parishes were allowed to open for the first time since March 16. On Saturday, New Orleans bars and gaming establishments can reopen at 25 percent capacity and restaurants can increase capacity to 50 percent, with masks and social distancing required. Music venues will remain closed and festivals are still prohibited, but “outdoor live entertainment is allowed with a special event permit.”
Phase two will last at least 21 days, at which point city officials will determine if further restrictions can be loosened. Establishments that plan to reopen this weekend must register with the Louisiana Fire Marshal to receive sector-specific guidelines for reopening and a certificate that they must post at their business.
During Tuesday’s town hall Mayor Cantrell also addressed growing calls for businesses that are reopening to provide paid sick leave for employees, an effort that was stalled at the state level by Republican lawmakers last month. The Mayor said the city was “reaching out directly to our businesses to get paid sick leave for our hospitality workers” and that they were “advocating for it.” Eater has reached out to the city for further details.
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