The battle between conservatives and liberals in the state of Texas is about to get kicked up a notch.
When Governor Abbott lifted COVID restrictions and opened the state to 100 percent, the order also blocked the local government from issuing its own mandates.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler has stated that he is going to keep the mask mandate in place for local businesses, which has now resulted in a power struggle and possible lawsuit with Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Follow the Law
Businesses still have the right to ask customers to wear masks to enter their business… that is not what is in question here.
Abbott’s order specifically blocked local governments from being able to place an order, and Paxton is intent on enforcing it.
Paxton, in a letter to Mayor Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown stated that Abbott’s order “has the force and effect of state law and supersedes local rules and regulations.”
Paxton also hit them up on Twitter, stating, “You and local health authorities have until 6:00 pm today to rescind any mask mandates or business-operating restrictions and come into full compliance with GA-34.
“Otherwise, on behalf of the State of Texas, I will sue you.”
Adler believes he is in the right, stating, “There’s two state laws in the health and safety code of the state, that specifically gives cities the ability to enforce laws reasonably necessary to protect the public health.”
Paxton has countered that argument, stating, “may impose a penalty of any kind for failure to wear a face covering or failure to mandate that customers or employees wear face coverings.”
This is something that will surely be tested in court and I would expect that battle to take place very soon.
In the meantime, as I stated the other day, please do not argue with business owners asking customers to wear masks when they are inside.
Either wear the mask or do not give them business because the last thing we need is the media to see conservatives starting fights with business owners over this.
They are doing everything they can to make us look like villains right now and more negative headlines on this front are only going to make it worse.
We all have bigger fish to fry right now, and we need to stay focused on that rather than bickering with local business owners who are just trying to stay afloat during this pandemic.
Source: New York Post
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