Gov's Chief of Staff Talks Phase III, Alcohol and Special Session

Mark Cooper, Chief of Staff for Governor John Bel Edwards, talks about Phase III Coronavirus restrictions and the upcoming legislative special session and the legislative priorities.

Cooper first gives details of the visit to the state by Dr. Deborah Birx, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator. "She was very complimentary," Cooper says, referring to Birx opinion of the Louisiana COVID 19 response. "We do weekly calls with the Hite House Task Force which Vice President Pence chairs. She said this yesterday, referring to the masking and other things we're doing,..as the best practice, the best example for the rest of the country."

"She was highly complimentary," Cooper continues, "It's important to note that we've worked very closely with her and the task force and what the state's been doing."

He then addresses the recent mover statewide to Phase III, but the changes to the new mandates - specifically rules concerning ending alcohol sales - just days apart. "We looked at what all the state's were doing with regards to restaurants and bats and and thinking we'd find a best or consistent practice, but the bottom line is, there wasn't any. They were all different. The (original) 10 o'clock time was one we felt was appropriate. Then, after talking to the Louisiana restaurant Association about the calls they had received, we decided to be what we should be, be flexible when it makes sense and that's when we switched to 11 o'clock."