Self-Quarantining And Testing Requirements For Travel to Other States

Man 1: It’s 1-800-law-1010, 1800law1010.com. My buddy Paul Harding from Martin, Harding & Mazzotti on the phone.

Man 2: And I hate to have you on to do this Paul because it’s so personal to me but I wanna talk about self-quarantining laws by states. For instance, I’m trying to travel to Maine for the 4th of July but they want me to self-quarantine for 14 days or get a test. I mean, is this even a law, Paul?

Paul: It is. In fact, Alaska and Maine, two of the toughest states that we have. So, what the governors can do, and they have done, and often picking on New Yorkers, so if you’ve converted to those New York plates, you’re gonna be stared at anyway if you try to cross.

Man 2: That was a real concern. I’m glad you brought that up.

Man 1: He said that off the air. Yeah, he did.

Paul: Every state’s different and it’s the most unique thing. I think some of them have kinda run out but they still kinda claim that they’re doing things even though I know that Florida’s allowing visitors, they still technically have their 14-day quarantine in place. So, you gotta check before you travel or you might end up staying longer than you thought you were gonna stay.

Man 1: Shouldn’t you have to be tested if you come from a state that is doing really badly right now?

Paul: Yeah, you know, they issue the order. The Governor did it. The governors have done it and they have the authority to do it again. We hear the term executive order. That’s what all these things are. You know, Alaska, before you go there, you need to test before you go, you need to show the results of your test. If you didn’t test, you need to test when you get there and go into quarantine until you’ve…so, they’ve got very strict testing rules. Some states like Maine, basically, you know, say, “Hey, you’re gonna have a 14-day quarantine, you know, or you need to produce some documents.”

Man 1: But you’re flying to Alaska and you’re driving to Maine. It’s like it’s so much easier to get into Maine, right?

Man 2: Well, not everybody’s driving to Maine.

Man 1: Well, that’s true, yeah. Yeah, good point.

Man 2: And I do have to. So, that’s the other thing, like we’re at a campground. We’re outside, we’re at the beach, we’re outside. We’re not going out to eat. I wanna do the right thing anyway. They did say if you get a test three days before you go, which we planned, I think. But like do I just carry those papers around or do you think there’ll actually be someone to show to them to?

Man 1: “Show me your papers.”

Paul: I remember driving to Rhode Island in this, early in this. This is early in this. And the state police were pulling over cars with New York plates. And so, we did get pulled over. This was super early, like we hadn’t heard about this. First day they issued it. And they started telling us because we’re from New York, that if we entered the state, we’d have a 14-day and so we didn’t go. We, you know, just kinda made a little veer off and went to Connecticut.

Yeah, I think you’re gonna have to bring that test with you. Now, realistically, they don’t nearly have the manpower to even think about going through with testing everyone. They’re not doing the border thing they way that Rhode Island did from what I’m told. But you know, if you get bad luck or somebody says, “Hey, I see those New York plates and that one guy’s pretty loud, let’s check them out anyway.” Maybe they do ask.

Man 2: It was years ago, this is before the pandemic, I got grief for having New York plates in Maine by some biker dude who irked me off so much, Paul, I stuffed a turkey wrapper in his tailpipe before I left the beach.

Man 1: And we don’t know how it ended. We presume the turkey wrapper popped right out.

Man 2: No, I actually still keep my head on a swivel when I roll through that beach because I feel like he’s gonna get me. But I’m glad…

Man 1: There’s more to that story and it’s like my favorite part, but you never tell it.

Man 2: I’m glad you came on this morning because I wanted to do the right thing anyway and this is a reminder to do the right thing. So…

Man 1: Didn’t you walk over to him on the beach and just stand and stare at him while he was sleeping?

Man 2: I did. While he was sleeping. Yeah.

Man 1: I love that dude.

Man 2: Sorry about that Paul.

Man 1: No, you’re sticking up for New York, bro.

Man 2: But Paul’s right. We’re gonna get profiled with those plates in Maine. All of us New Yorkers are.

Paul: Yes, we are.

Man 1: Yeah, let’s hope it works. Let’s hope it does the job that it’s… Are you gonna be able to take this interview with Paul home and make the decision for the family?

Man 2: I’m gonna play this for the wife and she’s going to get the call.

Man 1: That sounds scary. Thanks, Paul.

Man 2: Thank you so much, Paul.

Paul: You’re welcome, guys.

Man 1: 1-800-law-1010, 1800law1010.com. Paul Harding from Martin, Harding & Mazzotti.