On May 18, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott prohibited government entities and officials from mandating masks and limiting activities in response to the pandemic.
The order reads, "No governmental entity, including a county, city, school district, and public health authority, and no governmental official may require any person to wear a face covering or to mandate that another person wear a face covering."
The order excludes state-supported living centers, government-owned hospitals, government-operated hospitals and criminal justice department buildings. Public schools may continue to mandate face coverings until June 4.
The statewide executive order supersedes any local face-covering requirement.
Most states are adjusting mask mandates and policies after the CDC updated its guidelines May 13, though Texas had already lifted its mask mandate before the new guidelines.