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The Texas Supreme Court has blocked local orders establishing a nighttime curfew for restaurants to limit the spread of the coronavirus, according to reports.
The court issued the order on Friday, conditionally granting the petition from State Attorney General Ken Paxton to block enforcement of the orders in Austin and Travis County.
The region currently has more than 4,500 active cases of COVID-19, and the disease has killed more than 500 people there.
Nationwide, the United States leads all nations in coronavirus infections and deaths, accounting for nearly 25% of global cases and more than 348,000 deaths.
A Texas appeals court has temporarily granted a request filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and restaurateurs to end coronavirus lockdown orders issued in El Paso County. (Photo by Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc / Corbis via Getty Images)
The response to the outbreak has become a matter of partisan contention, with many Democratic state leaders opting for lockdowns, while the Trump administration and Republican governors have emphasized individual freedoms and sought to uphold public safety while keeping the economy running.
In Texas, Paxton, a Republican, applauded the court ruling. “The city and county orders clearly violate the Governor’s Executive Order No. 32,” he said, according to KVUE. “Local authorities do not have the power to override it.”
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Paxton stressed that “local statements” cannot conflict with the governor’s “clear order”.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted a message on New Years Eve reiterating his position.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler was disappointed with the decision.
“The Supreme Court didn’t tell us what it thought, but shut down the app until the Court of Appeals could look into it in more detail,” the Democrat said, according to FOX 7 Austin. “It will take time.
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“Until then, I continue to believe that each of us has the power to protect our neighbors and save lives right now,” Adler added. “Austin is experiencing an uncontrolled spread of the virus.”
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