Texas governor bans local governments, public schools from enforcing mask mandates

Brittany Bernstein
National Review
Tue, 18 May 2021 15:43 UTC

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed an executive order prohibiting local governments and public schools from requiring face masks.

The order directs local governments to drop their mask mandates by May 21 and schools to do so by June 4.

"The Lone Star state continues to defeat COVID-19 through the use of widely-available vaccines, antibody therapeutic drugs, and safe practices utilized by Texans in our communities," Abbott said in a press release. "Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities."

Local governments that disobey the order and keep their mask mandates in place after May 21 may be subject to a fine of up to $1,000.

"We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans' liberty to choose whether or not they mask up," the Republican governor said.

Abbott's order comes after the CDC issued new guidance last week that, with few exceptions, anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing.

"If you are fully vaccinated, you are protected, and you can start doing the things that you stopped doing because of the pandemic," said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the agency's director.

Cases in nearly every state have continued to plummet as more Americans get vaccinated.

In March, Texas was the first state to lift its COVID restrictions. While many criticized the decision as premature at the time, data show the move did not cause a surge in COVID cases.

Reader Comments

Deni · 2021-05-19T16:24:28Z

Forcing anyone to do anything in regards to one's body is not ok and should not be done by any government, because it goes against the law of personal choice, our God given right. unless a person is not of sound mind and cannot take care of themself.

Therefore , as much as I hate the masks, if someone wants to wear them they should. The governor has the right idea, but enforcing a fee is a bit much. Also for those who trust the vaccines, why on earth to you still want to mask up ?

Talk about nuts !!

Rowan Cocoan · 2021-05-19T16:29:07Z

Deni I don't see this as that. It seems to me that he's ordering that government CANNOT require masks; not anything that would prevent anyone from wearing one if they choose. (Which brings up an interesting matter - in Florida it is still (per a generally unenforced law) illegal for ANYONE to wear ANY mask, ANYWHERE!)

RC

Deni · 2021-05-19T16:39:18Z

Rowan Cocoan Yes , you are absolutely right. I actually like the guy, I got on the defensive because I'm starting to feel that every-time you turn around , some politician thinks to enforce some law. This of course does not fall into that category and I simply jumped the gun. I'm on edge about the vaccine passports which I suspect are around the corner especially where I live in Wa state. There are stores who allow people that vaccinated to shop without a mask and that is sickening to me not because I care about the mask but what is implied after they do away with the mandate; it becomes another step of infringing of our rights, to discriminate because we don't participate in their bs.

Demore · 2021-05-19T16:38:34Z

" Cases in nearly every state have continued to plummet as more Americans get vaccinated. "

I am getting sick and tired of that merry-go-round. The cases plummet because the damn thing has run it's course. The so called vaccine does not prevent a covid infection, even Fraudchi said so. So why is it constantly force fed to us. The article's author, Brittany Bernstein, forgot to mention all the side effects and the weird fact that the newly "vaccinated" are prone to catch that covid, more so than the non vaccinated from what I've read.

The manipulative BS is getting seriously tiresome.

If I were that virus I'd wish they leave me the fuck alone... ( )