Burlington Reporter

An updated bill to reopen gyms and to treat restaurants and bars equally has passed in the North Carolina Senate with a 36-13 vote.

The latest policy proposal allows Gov. Roy Cooper to reclose these businesses if needed, Senate President Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) posted to his Medium website on June 9. 

"Under the updated bill, the Governor could institute statewide closures if he obtains Council of State concurrence, and local health directors could institute orders in their counties on their own authority," Berger wrote.

Lack of this provision is why the earlier version of this bill was opposed by Cooper and the Democrats, Berger wrote. 

Following suggested health measures has not been done consistently, even by the leader of the state, Berger claimed. 

"Over the last two weeks, thousands of people gathered in the streets, many of them without wearing masks or following social distancing rules," the Republican leader wrote. "They walked, ran, and shouted. Gov. Cooper supported them and even marched with them, so it’s clear that the 'science' behind the lockdowns is not being applied consistently."

Cooper vetoed previous legislation that would have allowed restaurants and bars both to be treated equally and reopen in an outdoor seating model, Berger wrote. This model has been adopted in several states.