What Happens if You Violate a Stay-at-Home Order?

Life is tough enough these days that we don't need to invite more troubles into our lives, so here's what we know about the NY PAUSE and Pennsylvania stay-at-home orders and how they impact your life, beyond the obvious.

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NY PAUSE is in full effect and has been since March 20, 2020. In essence, what this means is that in the state of New York, all non-essential businesses are closed and non-essential gatherings of people of any size or for any reason are not allowed.

This doesn't mean you can't still go for a walk or to the park, it means you can't do so in large groups or with others who don't live under the same roof as you. If you're checking in with someone, say an elderly parent, you still can but need to make sure that you keep a safe distance. Going into their house, hugging them, and plopping down on their couch would be an example of what not to do. But, if they were inside the house with the window or door open and you were on the lawn or sidewalk talking to them, that would be an appropriate distance. If you're sick stay home and even if you aren't sick or don't think you are, stay away from people who are elderly or vulnerable.

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authorized to issue tickets to those who violate any of the NY PAUSE orders and the fines are not cheap. A person can be fined up to $2,000 for a first-time violation, or up to a $5,000 fine for a second violation. This means if you're hanging out with anyone who doesn't live under your roof, you can be fined if you're not practicing proper social distancing.

The NY PAUSE order also means any non-essential business that violates the PAUSE order faces a $10,000 fine for a first-time violation, and/or one year of imprisonment. If you know of groups of people violating the order or of

a business in blatant violation, you're encouraged to

report it and you can do so anonymously.

For our friends in Pennsylvania, know that law enforcement there is also taking

Governor Wolf's stay-at-home order seriously.

A woman in York went for a leisurely drive and was slapped with a $202.25 fine after being pulled over for a vehicle code violation

which turned into a stay-at-home violation because she also "

failed to abide by the order of the Governor and Secretary of Health issued to control the spread of a communicable disease, requiring the closure of all non-life-sustaining businesses as of 20:00 hours on March 29, 2020. To wit, defendant states that she was ‘going for a drive’ after this violation was in effect.” State Police Communications Director Ryan Tarkowski

told FOX43, "Sunday Drives are not essential travel. Does that mean that everyone who goes for a drive will get cited/warned? Obviously, not...there are no roadblocks, checkpoints, etc. Decisions to warn/cite are made based on the totality of the unique circumstances of each encounter. But to reiterate, Stay at Home means stay at home." This doesn't mean if you travel for non-essential business that you'll be fined.

At this time, Governor Wolf is leaving the decision whether to fine violators in the state of Pennsylvania up to local law enforcement, however, the suggestion is that first time offenders be given a warning followed by a $10 to $50 fine for violating an order or regulation of the Department of Health; a $25 to $300 fine for violating the state’s Disease Prevention and Control Law of 1955. You can fight the fine, but if found guilty, you’ll face up to 30 days in jail.