San Antonio Mayor Criticices Abbott's Covid-19 Executive Order

[#TexasPolitics365]

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest executive order, has been sharply criticized by San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Under the executive order, governmental entities cannot “compel any individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccine administered under an emergency use authorization.”

It also removes the ability of local officials to reduce business capacity even if COVID-19 hospitalizations exceeded 15% of total hospital capacity in the region for seven consecutive days. The governor afforded county judges that power in a previous executive order.

He called it a, "callous disregard for life." 

“The governor has shown a callous disregard for life and safety in defiance of clear medical guidance and is risking the safety of our children and the recovery of our economy.”

(Full story here.)

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Bill To Halt Gov't Closure Of Churches Passes #Texas House

[#TexasPolitics365]

A bill designed to protect religious freedom and ensure that no governmental entity has the power to close a house of worship has passed the House of Representatives, in a vote of 117 to 29. 

House Bill 1239, sponsored by Rep. Scott Sanford, had over 50 co-sponsors, and was among the priority issues outlined in Governor Greg Abbott’s State of State Address in February. 

The bill prohibits any governmental entity from issuing an order or passing an ordinance that would close houses of worship. In addition to adding a prohibition on closures, the bill also creates a defense against prosecution under the protection of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

Backers argued that the unprecedented closure of churches, mosques, and synagogues in 2020 negatively impacted many who were struggling with isolation and stress during the pandemic. 

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#Texas Gov. #Abbott Open To Rethink Of His Executive Powers After GOP Criticism

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Gov. Greg Abbott says he's open to reconsidering his executive powers during state emergencies, a point of contention among some fellow Republicans during the coronavirus pandemic, and that his office is "offering up some legislation ourselves on ways to address this going forward."

"What we are working on — and we've already begun working with legislators — is approaches to make sure we can pre-plan how a response would be done, but it has to be done in a way that leaves flexibility to move swiftly," Abbott told The Texas Tribune the day after his "State of the State" address last week.

Some GOP lawmakers have grown uneasy with how aggressively Abbott has used his executive authority, particularly when it comes to business shutdowns and mask mandates. 

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#Texas Supreme Court Ends Austin's Curfew

[#TexasPolitics365] 

The Texas Supreme Court acted Friday to block the Austin and Travis County orders that required dine-in beverage and food service to stop from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. from New Year's Eve through the 3rd of January.

Attorney General Ken Paxton sought an emergency stay from the Supreme Court of Texas, urging the court to halt enforcement of the orders, signed by Austin Mayor Steve Adler. A Travis County judge went along with the orders, making a mandatory in the county as well.

An obviously relieved Paxton tweeted about the victory Friday night.

"Breaking: WE WON! Texas Supreme Court stops Mayor Adler’s illegal order shutting down restaurants and bars. #AustinTx #COVID19 #victory"

Austin City councilor-elect Mackenzie Kelly join former city councillor Ellen Troxclair at the iron cactus for a press conference about the restrictions. Kelly reacted to the Court's ruling on Twitter:

"Proud to have stood w/these leaders yesterday in support of businesses. @aaron_reitz @EllenTroxclair - thank you for the work that you did."

Troxclair also reacted to ruling:

"Data clearly shows restaurants are NOT responsible for the spread of #Covid & they shouldn’t be political scapegoats. A huge sigh of relief the hospitality industry!"

KVUE TV reported Travis County Judge Andy Brown's statement about the Texas Supreme Court's decision.

“I am disappointed by the Texas Supreme Court decision as it limits our ability to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community."

The TV station also reported widespread disobedience of the curfew on New Year's Eve. On Sixth Street, station photographers reported that there were long lines to get into the bars downtown. and some bartenders were seeing not wearing masks.

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Judge Sides With Austin Over Four-Day 10:30 PM Curfew, Abbott Defiant

[#TexasPolitics365] 

A Travis County district judge has sided with the City of Austin to keep the New Year holiday restrictions on dine-in services at Austin-Travis County bars and restaurants. 

The Attorney General's Office says they will appeal the ruling.

KHOU reported that District Judge Amy Clark Meachum denied the requests for temporary restraining order and temporary injunction filed by the State of Texas, saying "the State has not demonstrated a probable right to the relief sought nor imminent and irreparable harm."

Gov. Abbott remained defiant, tweeting New Year's Eve:

To Texas restaurants. A formal statement. “The Governor’s statewide executive order allows food establishments to be open for in-person dining on New Years Eve as authorized by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.  They should remain open. Happy New Year!” Cheers!"

Anecdotally, the order itself seemed to be met with mass disobedience in Austin. An Uber driver posted a message to Facebook New Year's Day, noting that he was driving until 2:30 in the morning New Year's Eve. 

"Drove Uber til 2:30 AM. Austin was hopping last night! Nothing seemed to be closed after 10:30. Lots of ppl are livid with Adler (aka, Cabo San Doofus😂)....even the libs."

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Gov. Abbott Tells Austin's Mayor His New Year's Curfew Is Illegal

[#TexasPolitics365] 

Gov. Greg Abbott has a message for Austin mayor Steve Adler: your New Year's Eve curfew is not allowed.

Adler ordered all businesses in Austin to close over the New Year's holiday tomorrow night, from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. January 3rd. The order closes bars and restaurants during one of their busiest holidays of the year.

A news release published on the city's official website explained:

"Venues serving food and drink may still operate between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. using drive-thru, curbside pick-up, take-out, or delivery service. This change applies to any venue serving food or drink from an onsite kitchen, food truck, or catering service. Between 6 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., venues are permitted to continue dine-in operations."

County Health officials in Travis County also went along with the curfew order.

In the official City resolution, issued Tuesday, Adler cited the governor's previous order (GA-32) allowing reopenings if counties exceeded certain hospital admission standards.

His resolution ordering the closures, issued Tuesday, notes, "Travis County has experienced 48,951 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 542 deaths as a result ofthe disease." 

But Gov. Abbott was not having any of it. He took to Twitter almost immediately, tweeting late Tuesday night:

"This shutdown order by Austin isn't allowed. Period. My executive order stops cities like Austin from arbitrarily shutting down businesses. The city has a responsibility to enforce existing orders, not make new ones."

KVUE TV reported that the Texas Attorney General's Office also weighed in on Twitter, noting that the city's orders, "violate @GovAbbott’s Exec Order GA-32. They must rescind or modify their local orders immediately."

At risk are potentially hundreds of jobs in tens of thousands of dollars in earnings over the New Year's holiday, which brings to a close a year in which hundreds of thousands of lost their jobs in the restaurant and bar industries throughout the state.

Is unclear whether habit or the Attorney general's office would seek an injunction Wednesday to override the order, or whether businesses in Austin and Travis County would simply ignore it, risking fines.

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Gov. Abbott Says: "No More Shutdowns" As Vaccine Distribution Begins

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Gov. Greg Abbott said with the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine last week, "it is time to put shutdowns behind us." 

According to KFAA TV, Dallas, Abbott said Thursday that more than 200,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed across Texas by the end of the week. 

At the same time, the Republican governor was firm that no businesses will be forced to close. 

"No more shutdowns," the governor said. "We will not have any more shutdowns in Texas." 

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State Sen. Dawn Buckingham Calls On Austin Mayor Adler To Resign

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State Senator Dawn Buckingham (R - Austin) today called on Austin Mayor Steve Adler to resign. Adler was caught making a video from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in which he urged citizens of Austin to "stay home." The video has received international attention.

In a Facebook post, printed below in full, Buckingham, who was re-elected last month, excoriates the Democrat mayor, saying, "If you're going to preach to your constituents that their families aren't worth seeing while jetting off with your own inner circle to Mexico, your priority is clearly no longer the people of Austin."

"It's time for Mayor Adler to resign. 

"Mayor Adler has spent months pushing daily videos and tweets out to Austin residents telling them to stay home. As small businesses in his own city collapse, and homeless encampments appear on ever more street corners, Mayor Adler hosted an in person wedding and then hopped on a private jet for a Cabo vacation. Worse than this sort of "holier than thou" attitude, Mayor Adler had the gall to record a message telling Austin citizens to stay home around the Thanksgiving holiday from his vacation timeshare in Mexico.

The Mayor should resign. If you're going to preach to your constituents that their families aren't worth seeing while jetting off with your own inner circle to Mexico, your priority is clearly no longer the people of Austin. I urge him to quit the job he clearly no longer respects so he can spend all the time he wants on vacation. Rumor has it Matthew McConaughey could step up to provide the kind of unifying leadership the City of Austin so clearly lacks."

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