Governor Greg Abbott released an executive order on Thursday requiring Texans to wear facial coverings over the nose and mouth in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19.
The order was released on Thursday, accompanied by the announcement that Abbott will allow mayors and county judges across the state to impose restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 individuals. The new rules go into effect for counties with more than 20 active cases of the coronavirus.
"Wearing a face covering in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways we have to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Abbott said in a statement. “We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect one another—and that means wearing a face covering in public spaces.”
Abbott’s executive order does provide the exemptions to the face covering rule in the following cases:
any person younger than 10 years of age
any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering
any person while the person is consuming food or drink, or is seated at a restaurant to eat or drink
any person while the person is exercising outdoors or engaging in physical activity outdoors, and maintaining a safe distance from other people not in the same household
any person while the person is driving alone or with passengers who are part of the same household as the driver
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
any person while the person is in a swimming pool, lake, or similar body of water
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
any person who is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged
any person while the person is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience
any person in a county (a) that meets the requisite criteria promulgated by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) regarding minimal cases of COVID-19, and (b) whose county judge has affirmatively opted-out of this face-covering requirement by filing with TDEM the required face-covering attestation form—provided, however, that wearing a face covering is highly recommended, and every county is strongly encouraged to follow these face-covering standards.
Abbott’s order goes on to mention that “Not excepted from this 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.”
Following a verbal or written warning for a first-time violator, those not following the face covering rule will be subject to a fine not to exceed $250 per violation. Local law enforcement and other local officials will be tasked with enforcing this order.
The order goes into effect at 12:01PM on Friday, July 3.