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Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order

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Written by Stuart W. Lapp
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On Thursday July 2, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Executive Order GA 29 – Relating to the use of face coverings during the COVID-19 disaster. The Order is effective as of 12:01 pm on Friday, July 3, 2020 and remains in effect and in full force until modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded by further the governor.
The Order states that “Every person in Texas shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an indoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household”.

The face-covering requirement does not apply to:

1. Any person younger than 10 years of age;

2. Any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering;

3. Any person while the person is consuming food or drink, or is seated at a restaurant to eat or drink;

4. Any person while the person is (a) exercising outdoors or engaging in physical activity outdoors; and (b) maintaining a safe distance from other people not in the same household;

5. Any person while the person is driving alone or with passengers who are part of the same household as the driver;

6. Any person obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face covering for security surveillance, screening, or a need for specific access to the face, such as while visiting a bank or while obtaining a personal-care service involving the face, but only to the extent necessary for the temporary removal;

7. Any person while the person is in a swimming pool, lake, or similar body of water;

8. Any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively administering an election, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged;

9. Any person who is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged;

10. Any person while the person is giving a speech for broadcast or to an audience; or

11. Any person in a county with fewer than 20 positive COVID-19 cases whose county judge has affirmatively opted out of the face covering requirement by filing the required form, provided however, that wearing a face covering is highly recommended, and every county is strongly encourages to follow the face-covering standards.

Not excepted from the face-covering requirement is any person attending a protest or demonstration involving more than 10 people and who is not practicing safe social distancing of six feet from other people not in the same household.

The Executive Order provides for a verbal or written warning for a first-time violator of the face-covering requirement. A person’s second violation is punishable by a fine not to exceed $250, and each subsequent violation is likewise punishable by a fine not to exceed $250 per violation.

The Executive Order prohibits confinement in jail as a penalty for the violation of any face-covering order in any jurisdiction, but does allow any official with authority to enforce the Executive Order to enforce trespassing laws and remove violators at the request of a business establishment or other property owner.


These materials are made available by Stibbs & Co., P.C. for informational purposes only, do not constitute legal or tax advice, and are not a substitute for legal advice from qualified counsel. The laws of other states and nations may be entirely different from what is described. Your use of these materials does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Stibbs & Co., P.C. The facts and results of each case will vary, and no particular result can be guaranteed. The facts and results of each case will vary, and no particular result can be guaranteed.


 

Topic: COVID-19

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