Central Texas County Extends Stay-at-Home Order Until Mid-June

[Elderberry]

Texas Scorecard by Jacob Asmussen May 8, 2020

The leftist-controlled county continues using faulty projections to impose devastating orders.

AUSTIN — As Texans across the state suffer and struggle to provide food for their families under prolonged government-ordered shutdowns (even with the governor’s trickled reopening of businesses), one Central Texas county is continuing their lockdown into the summer.

On Friday, Democrats Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt extended their stay-at-home orders on citizens; Austin’s order will last until May 30, but the county’s order will drag on until June 15.

The order is an updated version of the officials’ original decree from March. It states, “All persons may leave their residences only for Essential Services and Essential Activities.”

The order prohibits all public and private gatherings, tells “non-essential” businesses to cease operating, and says all citizens over the age of six “shall wear some form of face covering” when going out in public.

Violating the order “may be punishable through criminal enforcement,” with citizens potentially being fined up to $1,000 or even thrown in jail for six months.

More: https://texasscorecard.com/local/central-texas-county-extends-stay-at-home-order-until-mid-june/

[catfish1957]

Texas Scorecard by Jacob Asmussen May 8, 2020

The leftist-controlled county continues using faulty projections to impose devastating orders.

I expected no less from the Peoples Republic of Travistan. 

OTOH, I am really anxious to see how the trendy fashionable 9 to 5 Austin  liberals handles the collapsing businesses and real estate market values as the  order continues. 

[PeteS in CA]

OK, why is the lockdown for Travis County rural areas 2 weeks and change longer that for Austin? If anything, that's the reverse of what it "should" be.

[Elderberry]

As a county Judge has more power than a city mayor, when it comes to conflicting rulings, and Austin is in the center of Travis County, then the Travis County lockdown also affects the city of Austin, except any portions not in Travis Co.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

As a county Judge has more power than a city mayor, when it comes to conflicting rulings, and Austin is in the center of Travis County, then the Travis County lockdown also affects the city of Austin, except any portions not in Travis Co.

But the county and city exist by state statute.  The state is sovereign, not individual local entities.

The state over-rides local jurisdictions, every time.

[Elderberry]

Commentary: People Power vs. Police Power

https://texasscorecard.com/commentary/commentary-people-power-vs-police-power/

In pandemics and any situation when the government has too much power, society is generally worse off when government officials make decisions that should have been left to the citizens.

Here is the Austin order in question:

“All individuals currently living within the City of Austin are ORDERED [emphasis in original] to stay at home or at their place of residence and to practice the Social Distancing and Face Covering Behaviors as set forth in Sections 2 and 3 and Exhibits A and C, unless excepted by this Order. Subject to the requirements of this Order, all persons may leave their residences only for Essential Services and Essential Activities, or to work in or access Essential Businesses, Reopened Services, Essential Government Service, or Critical Infrastructure, or to perform Minimum Basic Operations … ”

Here is one provision in the Texas Constitution’s Bill of Rights with which the order might be inconsistent:

“Sec. 27. RIGHT OF ASSEMBLY; PETITION FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. The citizens shall have the right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good; and apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances or other purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance.”

One might reasonably see in our right of assembly, then, that we are allowed to leave our homes whenever we want to assemble for our common good—like, say, to worship Christ together. We also have a right of expression/assembly under federal law. Thus, it is fair to argue that Austin’s and Travis County’s edicts are inconsistent with the state and federal constitutions.

More at link.