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DALLAS, Texas (KDAF) — In July, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order for all Texans to wears masks in public spaces. Houston’s Mayor Sylvester Turner has told police to start issuing $250 fines for anyone not seen wearing the masks.
Such enforcement elsewhere has been essentially nonexistent, and some officials say that it can’t even legally be enforced. That’s due to in part by the language in the Governor’s mandate itself.
Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office said that since Abbott’s order says police cannot detain people for not wearing a mask, police officers cannot actually enforce it. Simply stopping someone and writing a citation could be a form of detention, which is not allowed.
