Dallas County Extends Stay-at-Home Order Until May 15
Dallas County commissioners voted on Tuesday to extend the county’s stay-at-home order until May 15, two weeks past the statewide order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Judge Clay Jenkins and commissioners Elba Garcia and Theresa Daniel voted for the extension. Commissioners John Wiley Price and J.J. Koch voted against.
Price raised concerns that the order was conflicting with Abbott’s order. The governor’s order asserts authority over the entire state and suspends powers of local entities if orders issued conflict with the state order.
Jenkins said it would be up to Abbott to decide if Dallas County’s extension conflicts with his order.
“If I’m wrong, he will quickly tell us and tell us that we have to let everybody play pick-up basketball and do whatever they want to on April 30,” Jenkins said.
Last week, Abbott announced that elective surgeries would resume on April 22 and that retailers could start selling to-go orders on April 24. State parks reopened Monday with social distancing requirements. He also announced that schools would remain closed to the end of the school year.