By Elise Hammond and Meg Wagner, CNN
From CNN's Rosa Flores and Sara Weisfeldt
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Friday allowing counties to enter into the state’s full phase one reopening plan.
The order gives amusement parks in Florida, like Walt Disney World Resort, the green light to submit their plans to reopen, according to the executive order.
The plan must include a proposed reopening date, guidelines that ensure guest and staff safety and a letter from the local mayor confirming approval of the effort.
From CNN’s Dianne Gallagher, Dan Shepherd, and Pamela Kirkland
In an attempt to remedy some of the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to the agricultural industry, the United States Department of Agriculture on Friday announced a new program to deliver billions of dollars of produce and other farm products to nonprofits and local food banks.
The “Farmers to Families Food Box” program will distribute $3 billion worth of agricultural goods to non-profit organizations across the country that might have gone to waste.
“It was horrifying to hear about vegetables having to be plowed under because of no markets. Milk having to be dumped, animals potentially having to be euthanized because we had broken the supply chain,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday at a ceremony marking the program’s launch. “This is a simple program that will help to feed people in need.”
More than 200 companies nationwide were awarded contracts by the USDA to provide boxes of fresh produce, meat and dairy products.
From CNN's Haley Byrd, Clare Foran and Manu Raju
House Democrats on Friday approved a rules change to allow lawmakers to vote while away from Washington during the coronavirus pandemic, a move that will allow the chamber to operate remotely for the first time in its more than 200-year history.
Democrats approved the resolution over Republican opposition with a vote of 217-189.
How it works: Under the new rules, lawmakers who cannot or do not want to travel to the Capitol for legislative business will be able to cast votes in the House through a proxy. Members would give a colleague specific instructions for how they would vote on a measure, and the proxy must vote in accordance with their instructions.
Members will be limited to acting as proxy for only up to 10 members.
Why this matters: The resolution is a significant rules change for the chamber. Republicans urged against the change, arguing instead for the House to return in person to conduct its work.
The resolution will expire after 45 days, although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be able to extend the provisions if the pandemic is still happening or if there is a resurgence.
From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch and Devon M. Sayers
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will lift capacity restrictions for restaurants and retail stores in most of the state starting next week, according to a statement from the governor's office.
The new guidance applies to large attractions, such as racetracks, waterparks, amusement parks, theaters and auditoriums. Those facilities can reopen on May 22.
“Tennesseans have worked incredibly hard to do their part and help slow the spread of COVID-19 so that our state can begin to reopen. Thanks to their continued efforts, we’re able to allow restaurants and retail businesses to operate at greater capacity and large attractions to open in a safe and thoughtful way,” Lee said in a statement.
Businesses must still adhere to social distancing guidelines.
The changes apply to 89 of the 95 counties in the state.
Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Madison and Sullivan counties are not included in the new guidelines. Those counties may continue to follow individual, county-specific reopening plans, the statement said.
From CNN's Hollie Silverman and Rebekah Riess
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is "extremely disappointed by Kroger's decision to end Hero Pay," the union's president Marc Perrone said in a statement.
Kroger announced Friday that the company would end Hero Pay for employees and provide a one-time bonus to its workers.
The Hero Pay program, which saw an increase of $2 per hour starting March 31, is set to end Sunday.
"The simple fact is that the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Social distancing continues," the statement said. "Kroger workers are still required to wear masks. There is no vaccine."
Perrone said that increased sales and profits made by grocery stores make the decision to end Hero Pay "more inexplicable."
"The reality is that Kroger is choosing to ignore this pandemic," Perrone said. "This is not how we treat heroes in America."
More context: At least 65 grocery workers have died and at least 9,810 have been infected or exposed to the coronavirus, according to the UFCW statement.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear reacted to the news Friday saying he wants the additional pay to continue as the pandemic isn't over.
“Kroger is suspending Hero Pay to workers effective Sunday, can I react to that news? Man, our grocery store workers have done incredible work. This virus isn't gone, I would love to see that pay increase," Beshear said. "Of course, it's additional $2 per hour so I will tell you, I'd love to see that additional pay continue, even beyond this. I like to think that you ought to be able to support your family working just one job, and it's been a really important job.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell outlined in a memo certain requirements teams must follow to reopen their facilities next week.
Here are the guidelines they must follow:
From CNN's Jill Martin
NFL teams may reopen their facilities beginning Tuesday provided they fit all requirements to do so, league commissioner Roger Goodell outlined in a memo dated Friday.
“Clubs may reopen their facilities beginning on May 19 if they are permitted to do so under governing state and local regulations, are in compliance with any additional public health requirements in their jurisdiction, and have implemented the protocols that were developed by Dr. Sills and distributed to all clubs on May 6,” Goodell wrote in the memo, which CNN obtained. “Clubs unable to meet these criteria on May 19 may reopen their facilities on the earliest date thereafter on which they are able to meet the criteria.”
The ”Dr. Sills” that Goodell references is NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills.
Goodell also writes that a certain amount of players may be permitted to return next month.
From CNN's Pete Muntean
Travelers who refuse to wear a mask will not be allowed to travel by train on Amtrak or by bus on Greyhound.
Representatives from Amtrak and Greyhound Bus told CNN on Friday that passengers will be denied boarding if they are not wearing a face covering.
Greyhound says it has given drivers prepackaged face masks to give to riders who do not already have a mask, but those who refuse to wear one “will be denied boarding if they do not wear a face covering.”
Amtrak is requiring that all customers on trains and inside stations wear masks.
This week, CNN obtained internal memos detailing major airlines’ mask policies. Most airlines said that passengers would not be allowed to board without a face covering. Most policies said that once on board, the job of flight attendants is to strongly encourage the use of masks and avoid confrontation.
It’s unclear how strictly Amtrak and Greyhound will enforce their mask policies once people are on board.
From CNN's Rob Frehse
More than 5,300 members of the New York Police Department have returned to work full duty after testing positive for coronavirus, the NYPD announced.
There are 205 member of the NYPD still out sick with Covid-19. This figure includes 150 uniformed members and 55 civilian members of the NYPD.
So far, 5,552 members of the department have tested positive for Covid-19.
Roughly 1,157 uniformed members of the NYPD are still out sick, accounting for 3.2% of that force, the NYPD said.