Joining some of its largest municipalities, Jefferson County on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and implemented a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew through June 9.
The County Commission’s emergency meeting was held after Birmingham, Hoover and Bessemer all placed their cities under curfews after widespread national and unrest following the death of George Floyd, the African American man killed last week in Minneapolis.
County Attorney Theo Lawson said even municipalities that have not passed their own curfew orders can enforce it.
“Jefferson County will enforce it in unincorporated Jefferson County, and municipalities within the political subdivision of Jefferson County can enforce it with their local authority should they choose to do so,” he said.
Here are some of the restrictions and exceptions in the resolution:
While the curfew is in effect no person shall:
– employees of utilities, cable and telecommunications companies and their contractors engaged in activities necessary to maintain or restore utilities
– official emergency management personnel, or any other class of persons deemed essential to the preservation of public order and immediately necessary to serve the safety, health and welfare needs to the citizens of Jefferson County including:
o Doctors and nurses and employees of hospitals or other medical facilities
o Persons providing legal services or are a part of the judicial system
o On duty military personnel whether state or federal
