AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Austin Mayor Steve Adler, and mayors of the state's other large cities, sent a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday asking for the ability to require face masks at the local level.
The letter, published by Adler, is signed by the mayors of Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Plano, and Grand Pairie.
"This one step could prove to be the most effective way to prevent the transmission of this disease," the letter says. "Yet many people in many of our cities are still refusing to wear these face coverings even though these coverings are scientifically proven to help prevent the disease from spreading."
While Abbott's statewide orders to re-open the state's economy - and Abbott's own comments at a Tuesday press conference on a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations - continue to encourage Texans to wear face coverings when possible, the orders remove any ability for local jurisdictions to enforce face covering requirements with a civil or criminal penalty.
The mayors disagree with that limitation. "A one-size-fits-all approach is not the best option," the letter continues. "We should trust local officials to make informed choices about health policy. And if mayors are given the opportunity to require face coverings, we believe our cities will be ready to help reduce the spread of this disease."
The request from the mayors comes as the state continues to see record highs in both new COVID-19 cases, as well as new hospitalizations across the state.
