Each representative’s report consisted of input from various business owners, state lawmakers, medical health officials and community leaders. Ivey requested the input last week.

Each representative’s report consisted of input from various business owners, state lawmakers, medical health officials and community leaders. Ivey requested the input last week.

Rep. Mo Brooks, a Republican from Huntsville, is the only member to suggest that the state’s current stay-at-home order be immediately rescinded without a formal replacement plan in place.

“Every delay day is a nail in the coffin of otherwise income and job-producing enterprises,” Brooks’s report said. “At some point, the job creating business is dead, forever, to the detriment of all of Alabama.”

But most of the others’ recommendations agree that before reopening, a 14-day downward trajectory of COVID-19 cases needs to

be shown.

Reps. Bradley Byrne, a Republican from Mobile, and Robert Aderholt, a Republican from Haleyville, recommended reopening parts of the economy with a start date of May 1. Others agree that reopening should begin soon but don’t offer a specific date.

In his report, Byrne said that Alabama’s new COVID-19 case growth rate has fallen in the past five days compared to the growth

rate seen from April 1-15. This declining rate and other data points are what lead Byrne to support the idea of opening up certain businesses by May 1.

No matter what Ivey’s reopening plan ends up being, the members emphasized the need for clear guidance and instruction from the state so as to avoid further confusion for business owners and inspire confidence with consumers.

All of the reports said business leaders need more reassurance that a steady supply of personal protective equipment, or PPE, will be available when necessary and that more testing needs to be happening all over the state.

State Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris and Ivey expressed concern on Tuesday that not enough testing has been done at this point, and they want to see more completed in coming weeks.

The Alabama Department of Public Health reports that about 48,000 tests have been conducted in Alabama, a state with a population of 4.9 million. That number does not include private lab testing that isn’t being reported to the state.

Each recommendation stated the importance of protecting employees who are allowed to come back to work in this first phase of reopening.

Rep. Martha Roby’s report recommended that employers consider allowing only a certain number of the workforce to come back

to work and that all businesses share risk details with customers clearly.

Roby, a Montgomery Republican, also recommended that Ivey look at reopening businesses on a tiered scale and suggests that some counties experiencing little or no reported cases should be able to come back on board more quickly.

Rep. Gary Palmer, a Republican from Birmingham, emphasized the importance of establishing strong oversight of unemployment benefits.

He stated that because of the additional $600 per week in unemployment benefits given under the federal CARES Act, some employees refuse to return to work because they are receiving more money through unemployment than they would be paid.

Palmer recommended that the Alabama Department of Labor ensure that only those who have lost their jobs because of COVI-19 receive benefits and suggests that a system be created for employers to submit information to the department on employees who refuse to return to work.

Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican from Saks, brought up concerns about sporting venues. The Talladega

Motor Speedway is in his district.

He recommended that large sporting venues and collegiate athletic events consider coordinating with the state on feasible seating

arrangements that follow recommendations for six feet of separation or allow events to be closed to spectators.

Byrne recommended that state beaches be reopened on May 1 with the understanding that no groups larger than 10 people can gather and all groups are a minimum six feet apart.

Each report also stated the importance of keeping distancing and sanitation measures when the stay-at-home order is lifted.

“Even as we begin talking about reopening portions of the economy, that does not mean we can relax the necessary distancing and hygiene requirements like wearing a cloth mask in public and washing our hands thoroughly,” Byrne said in a press release.

Rep. Terri Sewell, the only Democratic House member from Alabama, said in her report that as reopening starts there should be a continuous prioritization of access of testing, tracing and treatment for the state’s most vulnerable communities. Sewell’s district is largely comprised of African Americans, the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, which are the populations most at risk of dying from COIVD-19.

She suggested that hazard pay should be given to health care and essential workers or that state tax credits be given for frontline health care workers who practice in rural areas.

Ivey on Tuesday said she intended to keep the stay-at-home order in place until its expiration on April 30 and will announce her intentions on how to reopen by next week.

“No one wants to open up businesses more than I do,” Ivey said. “All of our decisions that I’m going to make are going to come from data, not a desired date.”

As of Wednesday evening, Alabama has over 5,500 confirmed cases and 178 deaths resulting from COVID-19.

Most of the reopening recommendations also follow guidance from President Donald Trump’s released “Opening Up America Again Guidelines.”