Texas Attorney General Ken to end its mask requirement for city employees by noon Tuesday, or be the latest local government to face legal action for defying Governor Greg Abbott鈥檚 mask mandate ban. He to Denton鈥檚 interim city manager Thursday.
鈥淭his is not a new policy; this is not a new order,鈥� Paxton said in a statement. 鈥淭he City of Denton is openly defying the Governor after the Texas Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld his authority in this matter.鈥�
The North Texas also includes businesses, public schools, and child care centers. Last month, the Denton city council through the end of March.
Council member Brian Beck told The Texas Newsroom, since this is a legal matter, he does not want to speak for the city or speculate. But Beck said he鈥檚 鈥渘ot really sure what would motivate the Governor and the Attorney General to not follow scientific and biomedical best practices.鈥�
Beck 鈥� who鈥檚 also had a 30-year career as a scientist 鈥� said city officials are just following the COVID-19 mitigation recommendations of health professionals and agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
鈥淚鈥檓 just going to say that the goal of the council was to follow scientific practices and be prudent and try to protect the people of the city of Denton,鈥� he added.
Vicki Byrd, who鈥檚 also on the council, said she still needs to talk to her fellow council members about Paxton鈥檚 letter, and expects they will have to soon make a 鈥渄ecision collectively.鈥� But, she wasn鈥檛 surprised.
鈥淲e knew at some point it would be our turn,鈥� Byrd added, referring to other local governments and school districts across Texas that have with Paxton鈥檚 office.
Those include Harris, Dallas, Bexar, and Travis counties as well as Round Rock ISD, Waco ISD, and Spring ISD.
Meanwhile, Paxton said his office is continuing to 鈥渁sk the Texas Supreme Court for assistance in ordering rogue local governments and school districts to follow the law banning mask mandates.鈥�
A spokesperson for the city of Denton said the city is aware of the letter and officials are reviewing it.
