Yesterday, State Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) wrote a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott, providing seven policy recommendations for a long-overdue plan for the state to recover from the Chinese coronavirus pandemic and resulting government-ordered closures.
Now, State Rep. Mike Lang (R-Granbury) has provided his own recommendations that, if enacted, would result in an even swifter return to normalcy for Texans.
In his letter to Abbott, Lang writes:
“I urge you and your team to continue your efforts to open up the Texas economy as soon as possible. I would like to recommend actions that I believe are constitutional and would benefit the citizens of Texas.
- Remove the distinctions between essential and non-essential businesses and personnel.
- No prohibitions on public gatherings, including at religious services and public parks, and encourage voluntary adherence to CDC recommendations.
- Open restaurants, retail, gyms, salons, and similar businesses and encourage the use of proper social distancing measures and protective equipment.
- Continue all waived regulations until the 87th Texas Legislative session to be addressed by the legislature
- Continue shelter-in-place recommendations for those over 65 and those with underlying medical conditions.
- All Texas school districts should maintain local control and decide through their Independent School Districts whether to reopen the remainder of the year or remain closed.
- Continue the state procurement and distribution of Personal Protection Equipment as needed.”
Lang’s recommendations, which come with additional information and stipulations, provide significantly more freedom to citizens than Krause’s recommendations by removing the prohibition on public gatherings (Krause argues the state should comply with CDC regulations on the matter) and waiving regulations until the next session of the Texas Legislature (Krause’s proposal is for six months).
He also stipulates shelter-in-place for senior citizens and those with underlying conditions as a recommendation rather than a regulation.
Lang should be commended for coming forward with serious proposals to restore Texans’ liberty and help the state’s economy get back to work.
Citizens expect Gov. Greg Abbott to review these proposals and others and articulate a citizen-oriented plan for the state to recover from the coronavirus crisis. Unfortunately, he has yet to do so.
