Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee Obtains Authorization to Challenge the Texas Governor’s COVID-19 Executive Order
Houston, Texas (August 11, 2021) – Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee obtained authorization from the County to take legal action challenging GA-38, the latest executive order by Governor Greg Abbott prohibiting local governments and officials from mandating masks, vaccines, and other measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Harris County Commissioners Court voted to approve the authorization late Tuesday night after Menefee initiated the request to challenge the governor’s order last Friday. Menefee is evaluating legal options to challenge the order, including intervening in related lawsuits that are currently pending, or filing an independent lawsuit on behalf of the county.
Menefee stated:
“It’s the job of local officials to protect our students, our health vulnerable, and our neighbors especially in times of crisis. But Governor Greg Abbott has repeatedly misused his authority under Texas’s disaster laws, setting statewide prohibitions that in no way help to keep people safe during the pandemic, but instead ban local governments from taking meaningful action to protect residents. The Delta variant is spreading rapidly. Hospitalizations are up and ICU capacity is down. Schools across the state are opening. Enough is enough—we need the courts to intervene and stop the governor’s overreach. I’m confident the governor’s misuse of his disaster powers will reach the Texas Supreme Court, and when it does, the voices of Harris County residents will be represented.”
About the Harris County Attorney’s Office
Christian D. Menefee was elected as County Attorney for Harris County in November 2020. The office represents the largest county in Texas in all civil legal matters, including lawsuits.