It’s time for the week that was in Texas politics with Alex Samuels political reporter for The Texas Tribune.
Gov. Greg Abbott has announced travel restrictions that require those who fly to Texas from New York, Connecticut, New Jersey or New Orleans to self-quarantine for 14 days, upon arrival. The Department of Public Safety will enforce the requirement, Samuels says. The order does not apply to those who drive into Texas from those areas.
“I think it’s a self-policing sort of thing, but I know his order does align with federal guidance announced Wednesday that aims to stop the spread of the virus outside of New York,” Samuels says.
The state has postponed primary election runoffs until July 14. They had been scheduled for late May before coronavirus shelter-in-place measures forced many people to remain in their homes.
Both the Texas GOP and Democratic Party of Texas have changed plans for the statewide conventions each party would have held in early summer. Democrats will hold an online-only convention, while Republicans are postponing their in-person event.
Abortion-rights groups are suing the state, after Abbott signed an executive order banning elective surgical procedures. Attorney General Ken Paxton says the order applies to abortion services.
