Over the past few months, Gov. Greg Abbott has announced a series of ongoing Executive Orders in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the state.
Due to the state’s growing positivity rate, the latest order, GA-28 issued June 26, 2020, includes the following:
- All bars and similar establishments that receive more than 51-percent of their gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages are required to close at noon June 26, 2020. These businesses may remain open for delivery and take-out, including for alcoholic beverages, as authorized by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
- Restaurants may remain open for dine-in service, but at a capacity not to exceed 50-percent of total listed indoor occupancy, beginning Monday, June 29, 2020.
- Rafting and tubing businesses must close.
- Outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people must be approved by local governments, with certain exceptions.
On June 25, Gov. Abbott announced a temporary pause of additional reopening phases. Also on June 25, Gov. Abbott issued GA-27, which includes new restrictions on elective medical procedures in select counties.
Previously, GA-26, issued June 3, included the following:
- Residents should not be in groups larger than 10 and should maintain 6-feet of social distancing from those not in their group.
- People over the age of 65 are strongly encouraged to stay at home as much as possible; to maintain appropriate distance from any member of the household who has been out of the residence in the previous 14 days; and, if leaving the home, to implement social distancing and to practice good hygiene, environmental cleanliness, and sanitation.
- In providing or obtaining services, every person (including individuals, businesses, and other legal entities) should use good-faith efforts and available resources to follow the minimum standard health protocols recommended by DSHS. Nothing in this executive order or the DSHS minimum standards precludes requiring a customer to follow additional hygiene measures when obtaining services. Individuals are encouraged to wear appropriate face coverings, but no jurisdiction can impose a civil or criminal penalty for failure to wear a face covering.
- People shall not visit nursing homes, state supported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities unless as determined through guidance from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
For more details and specific information for your business, visit the Governor’s Strike Force to Reopen Texas website.