While it’s not quite threatening to shut off water and power, Sonoma County did become the latest to install fines for those flouting public health orders to wear a mask and socially distance.
Los Angeles took that drastic step this week, while Sonoma opted to join many of its Bay Area neighbors in adopting administrative citations to penalize those who violate the health orders. The Board of Supervisors approved the measure unanimously on Thursday.
Any individual disobeying state or local health orders, which require a facial covering in most public spaces, could face a $100 fine for each violation. For businesses, the cost goes up with each offense: $1,000 for the first, $5,000 for the second and $10,000 for the third and each additional infraction.
“Our goal is to prioritize education and outreach before fines. We know that most people are following the health orders and wearing facial coverings when out in public, practicing social distancing and avoiding large gatherings,” board chair Susan Gorin, who represents the cities of Santa Rosa and Sonoma, said in a release. “But we have seen a need for more enforcement options to deal with the small number of folks who are willfully disregarding the order. This ordinance will help address this issue in our community.”
Individuals can face fines for failing to maintain six feet of distance, hosting gatherings of a dozen people or more or refusing to abide by rules at restaurants and other establishments. Businesses can be fined for failing to enforce the state and local orders, which currently prohibits any restaurant, bar or winery from operating indoors in Sonoma County.
The administrative-citation model now spans nearly the entire North Bay, plus San Mateo County. Napa was the first county in the region to institute the fine structure, which moves the process out of the slow-moving and more punitive court system, about a month ago.
Marin, San Mateo and Sonoma have now also followed suit, putting about 1.7 million people, or about 20% of the Bay Area’s population, under the new orders.
To report health violations, the public can call a newly created hotline — 1-833-SAFE707 — or email complaints to [email protected].
