A federal judge has overruled the Texas mask mandate ban, as it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
On Thursday, the announcement was made regarding the overturning of the mandate, set forth by Governor Greg Abbott in May. There has been a long-standing legal battle between parents, disability rights organizations and Texas officials regarding the possibility that Texas was violating the 1990 law, known as ADA.
Recently, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel barred Attorney General Ken Paxton from enforcing Abbott’s order.
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“The spread of COVID-19 poses an even greater risk for children with special health needs,” Yeakel said in a press release. “Children with certain underlying conditions who contract COVID-19 are more likely to experience severe acute biological effects and to require admission to a hospital and the hospital’s intensive-care unit.”
In May, Abbott enforced the mask mandate across the state of Texas due to his belief that COVID-19 was under control.
“The Lone Star State continues to defeat COVID-19 through the use of widely available vaccines, antibody therapeutic drugs, and safe practices utilized by Texans in our communities,” Abbott said. “Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities. We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans’ liberty to choose whether or not they mask up.”
This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
