LAFAYETTE — Starting Wednesday, a statewide mask mandate will once again take effect, Governor Edwards announced Monday afternoon. The mandate applies to everyone five and older, and anyone enrolled in kindergarten. The mandate includes K-12 schools.
It will remain in place through at least September 1. Last time around, there wasn't much by way of "official" enforcement, at least in Lafayette, but when it comes to compliance - that's where some businesses are stepping up once again.
"I think it's hard to police human behavior, and that is a human behavior," Bradley Cruice, owner of Handy Stop Market and Cafe, said.
Cruice sorted through his mask collection on Monday, preparing for the mask mandate.
"Majority of our customers don't wear masks, so we'll put the sign back on the door. We have one now that we recommend it, but we'll put mask required back on our door," Cruice explained.
During a news conference on Monday, Gov.Edwards said the rules are the same from Proclamation 89,which he signed in July 2020.
"Either these people are going to do what all the health professionals are asking for, or they're not," Edwards said.
The proclamation states citations shall be written to businesses or organizations that fail to enforce the requirement of face coverings. It also states local law enforcement agencies can issue a trespassing violation if a business is refusing to allow a customer without a mask to come in and that person is not leaving.
READ MORE: Edwards announces mask mandate for Louisiana
Cruice and other business owners say enforcing the mask mandate was no easy task.
"People have done what we have asked and got vaccinated, now we have to go back to wearing masks. I think it's going to be more challenging for us as business owners to police that," Cruice added.
The governor also said during his press conference that he is not planning any state lock downs.