State Enters Second Phas of Reopening Plan
AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on May 18 allowed restaurants to increase occupancy to 50% and relaxed his earlier executive orders that limited certain other public activities over the last two months to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Reopenings, Abbott said, must adhere to restricted occupancy levels and minimum standard health protocols laid out by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Notably, public schools have the option to provide in-person summer school so long as they follow social distancing practices and health protocols laid out by the state health department. Classes may begin as soon as June 1.
“I ask all Texans to continue heeding the guidance of our state and federal medical experts and do their part to protect public health. If we all unite in our resolve, we will overcome this challenge,” Abbott said.
The full list of guidelines, openings and relevant dates is available at gov.texas.gov/opentexas.
Certain counties where there are surges in COVID-19 cases will have their beginning date of Phase II delayed until May 29. Those Amarillo-area counties where a spike in cases has been confirmed include El Paso, Randall, Potter, Moore and Deaf Smith. Governor’s Surge Response Teams are at work in those Panhandle counties to increase testing, maintain hospital capacity and ensure that COVID-19 is contained and mitigated.
Cumulative figures posted on May 21 by the Texas Department ofState Health Services showed that some 52,268 people in Texas had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 1,440 deaths resulting from the virus pandemic had been confirmed.
Budget cuts ordered
Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen on May 20 sent a letter to state agencies and institutions of higher education directing each of them to submit a plan identifying savings to reduce general revenue-related appropriations by 5% for the 2020-2021 two-year budget cycle.
The three highest-ranking state officials urge agencies and institutions of higher education to pursue cost-saving strategies that will not affect the state’s response to COVID-19, such as forgoing capital expenditures that can be deferred, avoidable travel expenditures and administrative expenses that are not mission critical, and keeping unfilled any open positions that are not essential to Texas’ COVID-19 response.