After a number of school districts, cities, and counties began issuing their own local mask mandates, in defiance of an executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott expressly prohibiting the action, the Texas Supreme Court is temporarily upholding Abbott’s prohibition.
Last week, courts in Bexar and Dallas counties issued temporary restraining orders against Abbott’s prohibition on mask mandates. That move came as some local governments—especially school districts—issued new mask requirements as classes are set to resume around the state.
On Sunday evening, the Texas Supreme Court issued a stay order on the TROs, effectively keeping Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in place until the case is formally decided, which could take several weeks.
Shortly after the order, however, Dallas ISD superintendent Michael Hinojosa said he would keep the mask mandate in place, as he believed the order only applied to the county.
Though the state Legislature had the opportunity to put an official ban on mask mandates from local officials into law, the Texas House voted down such a proposal earlier this year.
