AUSTIN, Texas (KWTX) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is giving local authorities until 6 pm Wednesday to suspend mask mandates and any business operational restrictions and, if they fail to comply, he says that going to sue.
Abbott made the threat in a letter to Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Austin Mayor Steve Adler on Wednesday.
“The decision to require masks or otherwise impose operational limits related to COVID-19 is expressly reserved for private companies in their own facilities. This does not depend on jurisdictions like the city of Austin or Travis County or your local health authorities. They also have no authority to threaten fines for non-compliance, ”Paxton wrote in the letter.
“We have already taken you to court in similar circumstances. You lost. If you continue to break the law in this way, we will take you to court again and you will lose again, ”he wrote.
“To that end, you and your local health officials have until 6 pm today to terminate any local masking mandates or operational business restrictions, withdraw any related public statements and come into full compliance” with the governor’s order who removed the mask mandate and operational capacity restrictions at 12:01 pm on Wednesday.
“Otherwise, on behalf of the State of Texas, I will sue you.
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