Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, hasn’t shied away from controversial pandemic policies.
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas issued an order on Tuesday that will bar local governments and public schools from having mask mandates, the latest in a string of states issuing similar bans.
“Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities,” the Republican governor said in a statement. “We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans’ liberty to choose whether or not they mask up.”
Under the order, governments or officials trying to institute a mask mandate could face fines up to $1,000 starting Friday. The order doesn’t go into effect for schools until after June 4, and “state-supported living centers,” government-owned or run hospitals, prisons and jails are exempt from the ban.
Abbott’s move is the latest among similar state bans on local mask mandates, following orders from Republican governors this month in Florida and South Carolina. According to the Florida Department of Education, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ May 3 order does not apply to public schools — just local governments — while South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s May 11 order applies to both schools and local governments. DeSantis’ order also suspended local pandemic restrictions.
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Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has issued an order that will bar local governments and public schools from having mask mandates https://t.co/NoqT7v75NM
— POLITICO (@politico) May 19, 2021
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