Texas city apologizes for saying it wouldn’t enforce Gov. Abbott’s order to close bars
Officials in Abilene, Texas apologized for saying they would not enforce Gov. Greg Abbott’s new executive order to shut down bars, reduce restaurant capacity and limit outdoor gatherings.
In a statement posted Friday afternoon on the city’s website, the city said it “never intended to imply an intention to disregard the Governor’s Executive Order, or support any kind of action by citizens or business owners in contradiction to the Executive Order. The City apologizes for any lack of clarity in earlier messaging on the matter.”
Earlier Friday, Abilene City Manager Robert Hanna said the city would not enforce Abbott’s order, a move intended to slow the spike of coronavirus cases statewide.
“But we encourage all business owners and citizens to use common sense, and to follow the governor’s executive orders to the extent they can,” Manna said in the initial statement, the Abilene Reporter News reported.
The statement explains that the “Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) is the enforcement authority that will work to enforce the Governor’s Executive Order within bars and restaurants across the state. The City of Abilene relies upon the TABC to identify bar or restaurant owners who operate in a manner inconsistent with the Governor’s Order, and if necessary, pull the liquor license of an establishment.”
Abbott’s new executive order orders the closing of bars and mandates restaurants to limit capacity to 50% in an effort to slow the surge of record-breaking new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. the Star-Telegram reported.
Bars were ordered closed at noon Friday and the restaurant changes goes into effect Monday, according to the Reporter News.
Previously, bars were cleared to operate at 50% capacity and restaurants at 75%.
Abbott also banned outdoor gatherings of 100 people – unless the gathering is approved by local officials.
“At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars,” Abbott said in a statement on Friday. “The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health. We want this to be as limited in duration as possible. However, we can only slow the spread if everyone in Texas does their part.”
Abilene, with a population of about 122,000, and home to three private church schools — Abilene Christian, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry — is one of the most conservative mid-sized cities in the Lone Star State.
The statement notes that events already scheduled for late June and early July will likely proceed as planned, adding the “city reserves the right to cancel outdoor gatherings over 100 attendees if the public’s health is endangered. We will rely on hospitalizations and infection rates to make these determinations.”
Abbot announced the rollback of restrictions more than three weeks after reopening Texas in phases, the Star-Telegram reported.
Some Texas counties, including Tarrant County, have implemented face mask orders, but Colleyville, a conservative and wealthy Fort Worth suburb, announced that it will not enforce the order, reports the Star-Telegram.
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 1:56 PM.