During a press conference, today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott Rescinded mask mandates as well as business capacity limitations. Texas will be 100% open for business next week!
I just announced Texas is OPEN 100%.
EVERYTHING.
I also ended the statewide mask mandate.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 2, 2021
“Too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities,” Abbott said during the press conference, as noted by The Dallas Morning News. “Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills. This must end. It is now time to open Texas 100%.”
Abbott also told reporters he was ending the statewide mask mandate.
“I am ending the statewide mask mandate,” Abbott said. “Texans have mastered the habits to keep from getting COVID,” he added.
Businesses will still be allowed to implement any restrictions needed, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Abbott first imposed his mask mandate in July, months after major cities in Texas had already implemented mask mandates. Abbott was criticized for the decision, while implementation of the mandate was made harder by law enforcement who wouldn’t enforce it.
“Texas will experience more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths,” state Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, a Democrat from the border city of Laredo, told Abbott, according to the Associated Press.
Keep your spirits high and push your state to follow suit. We can do this.
Those that do not will fail.