AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton today issued letters to three Texas counties (Dallas, Bexar, and Travis) and two mayors (San Antonio and Austin), warning that some requirements in their local public health orders are unlawful and can confuse law-abiding citizens.
According to the AG’s Office, the unlawful and unenforceable requirements include strict and unconstitutional demands for houses of worship, unnecessary and onerous restrictions on allowing essential services to operate, such as tracking customers who visit certain restaurants, penalties for not wearing masks, shelter-in-place demands, criminal penalties for violating state or local health orders, and failing to differentiate between recommendations and mandates.
“Unfortunately, a few Texas counties and cities seem to have confused recommendations with requirements and have grossly exceeded state law to impose their own will on private citizens and businesses,” Paxton said. “These letters seek to avoid any public confusion as we reopen the state.
“I trust that local officials will act quickly to correct any orders that unlawfully conflict with Texas law and Gov. Abbott’s executive orders.”
Dallas County Judge Clay Akins recently tweeted that the county is now using colors to tell residents when to stay home and when it will be safe to do more.
He also tweeted the color chart on May 11 that showed the arrow in a red square that stated: “STAY HOME STAY SAFE.”