Panhandle Times

Amid rising concerns over the resurgence of COVID-19 variants, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declared, "There will be NO mask mandates in Texas," signaling a staunch rejection of such measures while sparking speculation about potential future restrictions in the state, Newsweek reported. Texas banned COVID-19 mask mandates as of Sept. 1 through Senate Bill 29, which was signed earlier this year.

Last week, Abbott firmly rejected the notion of reinstating COVID-era policies, including mask mandates, in Texas. Senate Bill 29, primarily championed by Republicans with one Democratic state senator's support, explicitly prohibits governmental entities from enforcing mandates for face masks or covering usage.

Nonetheless, Senate Bill 29 includes exceptions for state-supported living centers, Texas Department of Criminal Justice sites, and government-owned healthcare facilities, allowing them to retain the authority to enforce mask mandates. The legislation also extends its scope by prohibiting vaccine mandates and the forced closure of private businesses and schools by government entities as measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In March 2021, Abbott lifted the mask mandate in Texas, citing the progress of vaccine distribution. By May of the same year, he issued an executive order that barred government entities from mandating face mask usage, a directive upheld by the state's Supreme Court in June.