The Texas Supreme Court has blocked local orders to establish a nightclub for restaurants to limit the spread of the coronavirus, according to reports.
The court issued the order Friday, urging Attorney General Ken Paxton to block the enforcement of orders in Austin and surrounding Travis County.
The area currently has more than 4,500 active cases of COVID-19, and the disease has killed more than 500 people there.
Nationwide, the U.S. leads all countries in both coronavirus infections and deaths, accounting for nearly 25 percent of cases worldwide and more than 348,000 deaths.
A Texas appeals court has temporarily filed a motion that Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, and restaurant owners have filed orders to stop the closure of the coronavirus in El Paso County. (Photo by Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc / Corbis via Getty Images)
Response to the outbreak has become the subject of partisan strife, with many Democratic leaders seeking to be locked up, while the Trump administration and Republican governors have emphasized individual freedoms and sought to maintain public safety while the economy stays afloat.
In Texas, Paxton, a Republican, applauded the court ruling. “The city and county order clearly violates the governor’s executive order No. 32,” he said according to KVUE. “Local authorities have no power to replace it.”
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Paxton stressed that ‘local declarations’ could not be in conflict with the governor’s ‘clear order’.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted a message on New Year’s Eve reiterating his position.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler was disappointed with the decision.
“The Supreme Court did not tell us what he thought, but stopped its application until the appellate court could look into it further,” the Democrat told FOX 7 Austin. “It will take time.”
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“Meanwhile, I continue to believe that each of us has the power to protect our neighbors and save lives,” Adler added. “Austin is experiencing uncontrolled spread of the virus.”