Gov. Lee will not extend COVID-19 State of Emergency

Special to the State Gazette

On Friday, November 19, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced he will not renew the COVID-19 State of Emergency, which is scheduled to expire Friday night.

Gov. Lee released the following statement Friday morning:

“I am not renewing the COVID-19 state of emergency that expires tonight. For almost 20 months, this tool has provided deregulation and operational flexibility for hospitals and industries most affected by COVID’s challenges. Should our state face any future surges, we will consider temporarily reinstating this tool, but in the meantime, we are evaluating opportunities for permanent deregulation.”

The COVID-19 State of Emergency initially began on March 12, 2020, just over one week from the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the state.