Transcription of GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT March 19, 2020 SECRETARY OF …
1 GOVERNORGREGABBOTTM arch19, ,Texas78701 DearSecretaryHughs:flLEDINTHEOFflCEOFTHE SECRETARYOFSTATEIl i-O CLOCKP ursuanttohispowersasGovernoroftheStateof Texas, ,StotheGovernorSecretaryofStateAttachmen tPosTOFFIcEBox12428 AusTIN,TEXAS78711512-463-2000(VOICE)DIAL 7-1-1foRRELAYSERVICES xrruthnrbrrBYTHEGOVERNOROFTHESTATEOFTEXA SE xecutiveDepartmentAustin,TexasMarch19,20 20 EXECUTIVEORDERGAO$ ,thenovelcoronavirus(COVD-19)hasbeenreco gnizedgloballyasacontagiousrespiratoryvi rus;andWHEREAS,I,GregAbbott,GovernorofTe xas,issuedadisasterproclamationonMarch13 ,2020,certifyingthatCOVJD-19posesanimmin entthreatofdisasterforaHcountiesinthesta teofTexas;andWHEREAS,COVID-19continuesto spreadandtoposeanincreasing,imminentthre atofdisasterthroughoutTexas;andWHEREAS,t heCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention( CDC)hasadvisedthatperson-to-personcontac theightenstheriskofCOVID-19transmission.
2 AndWHEREAS,thePresident sCoronavirusGuidelinesforAmerica, ,2020,calluponAmericanstoslowthespreadof COVID-19byavoidingsocialgatheringsingrou psofmorethan10people,usingdrive-thru,pic kup,ordeliveryoptionsatrestaurantsandbar s,andavoidingvisitationatnursinghomes,am ongothersteps;andWHEREAS,theTexasDepartm entofStateHealthServiceshasnowdetermined that,asofMarch19,2020,COVID-19represents apublichealthdisasterwithinthemeaningofC hapter81oftheTexasHealthandSafetyCode;an dWHEREAS,undertheTexasDisasterActof1975, [t] ( ), ,THEREFORE,I,GregAbbott,GovernorofTexas, byvirtueofthepowerandauthorityvestedinme bytheConstitutionandlawsoftheStateofTexa s,doherebyorderthefollowingonastatewideb asiseffective11 ,2020,andcontinuinguntil11 ,2020,subjecttoextensionthereafterbasedo nthestatusofCOVID-19inTexasandtherecomme ndationsoftheCDC:FILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHESE CRETARYOFSTATEii:9i- O CLOCKMAR192020 GovernorGregAbbottMarch19, , ,peopleshallavoideatingordrinkingatbars, restaurants,andfoodcourts,orvisitinggyms ormassageparlors.
3 Provided,however,thattheuseofdrive-thru, pickup, , , ,executiveorderdoesnotprohibitpeoplefrom visitingavarietyofplaces,includinggrocer ystores,gasstations,parks,andbanks, ,domestictravelwillremainunrestricted, ,employeesshouldpracticegoodhygieneand,w herefeasible, , ,andthisordershallremainineffectandinful lforceuntil11 ,2020,subjecttobeingextended,modified,am ended,rescinded, , ,-GREGABBOTTG overnorFILEDINTHEOFFICEOFTHESECRETARYOFS TATE1155M4O
