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News Release

To: Area Media

From: Brewster County Judge's Office

For Immediate Release April 30, 2020

On April 7, 2020, I entered an Executive Order extending the Stay At Home, Work Safe Order until 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2020 and supplementing the previous Executive Order with additional measures necessary to prevent the imminent threat to health and safety from the Coronavirus (COVID-19). I intend to allow all Brewster County Executive Orders to expire as Governor Abbott issued Executive Order GA-18 on April 27, 2020 with provisions effective on May 1, 2020. The declaration of a local disaster will continue until terminated. I will continue to monitor the state of the local disaster and issue any necessary orders to prevent any threat to the health and safety of the citizens of Brewster County.

Therefore, Brewster County will follow the restrictions and guidelines established by Governor Abbott's Executive Order GA-18 and all other orders issued by Governor Abbott. Specifically, Governor Abbott's Order "supersede[s] any conflicting order issued by local officials in response to the COVID-19 disaster, but only to the extent that such a local order restricts essential services or reopened services allowed by this executive order, allows gatherings prohibited by this executive order, or expands the list of essential services or the list or scope of reopened services." Tex. Gov. Exec. Order No. GA-18. Further, Governor Abbott directs that "people and businesses should follow the minimum standard health protocols recommended by DSHS, found at www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus, and should implement social distancing, work from home if possible, and practice good hygiene, environmental cleanliness, and sanitation. This includes also following, to the extent not inconsistent with the DSHS minimum standards, the Guidelines from the President and the CDC, as well as other CDC recommendations." Id.

Finally, Governor Abbott's Executive Order identifies "essential services" and "reopened services" and provides any conditions that may apply for their operation. The Executive Order states that "'Essential services' shall consist of everything listed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, Version 3.0 or any subsequent version, plus religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and houses of worship. Other essential services may be added to this list with the approval of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). TDEM shall maintain an online list of essential services, as specified in this executive order and any approved additions."

I have been asked numerous questions about the operations of hotels and temporary lodging facilities. I would direct those inquires to the Texas Department of Emergency Management and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency which identifies "management and staff at hotels and other temporary lodging facilities that provide for COVID-19 mitigation, containment, and treatment measures or provide accommodations for essential workers" as critical infrastructure workers. All other inquiries concerning hotel or temporary lodging facilities' services for travelers and vacationers should be reviewed under the aforementioned guidelines concerning whether they have been listed as an essential critical infrastructure worker or a "reopened service" by Governor Abbott.