The Texas State University Office of General Counsel is reviewing Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA 34. The order lifts the state wide mandate for masks and capacity limitations, but does not limit businesses and institutions from enforcing their own mask/capacity/distancing requirements. The order also allows individual areas/counties to enforce certain mandates if hospitalizations are above a certain percentage. The order also encourages personal vigilance. The full, official statement can be accessed online.

Public health organizations and officials have not deemed it safe for any of these mandates to be lifted. With health and safety in mind for students, faculty, staff and the surrounding Texas communities in mind, we ask that Texas State University keeps or strengthens the COVID-19 safety plans for mask requirements, social distancing, and capacity limitations. 

Keeping or strengthening safety protocol would be in the best interest of the University to protect public and student/staff health, fulfill the private and public duty reduce the spread of COVID-19, and reduce economic costs and time burden it would take the University to track, treat, and quarantine any infected individuals as a result of loosened restrictions.