April 17, 2020

Today, Governor Abbott issued three new Executive Orders including the establishment of the Strike Force to Open Texas, a strategic opening of select services and activities in the state, and a loosening of restrictions on on surgeries put in place in previous executive orders. Within the Governor's second Executive Order, GA-15, public schools, private schools and institutions of higher education will remain closed for the 2019-2020 school year. Additional information and text on each of the three executive orders can be found below.

My office has set up a COVID-19 specific webpage on www.danhuberty.com for updates and state agency specific information. As this situation continues to develop, we will do our best to get all relevant information out through newsletters, as well as through posts on my Facebook page.

Due to the COVID-19 virus, both the Capitol and the District offices will remain closed. However, my staff will be teleworking and will be available via email. Please continue to follow safe social distancing and hygiene practices during this time, and know that we are available if needed. Be aware that all agencies are prioritizing COVID-19 virus related constituent casework before other matters.

The Texas House of Representatives is consolidating COVID-19 related information. To access the COVID-19 information, visit house.texas.gov/coronavirus.

Sincerely,

Capitol & District Office Closure Notice

Both the Capitol office and District office will remain closed in line with Governor Abbot's executive orders. Our offices will remain functioning, with staff working remotely. Please utilize email communication with our office during this time, via the email contact information at the bottom of this newsletter.

Additionally we have set up an additional phone line that our staff will be able to monitor remotely. Our new phone number for the duration of the COVID-19 situation will be (281) 858-3354.

Click the image above to be directed to the DSHS COVID-19 Dashboard

Click the image above to be directed to the Harris County Public Health COVID-19 Dashboard

Governor Greg Abbott today held a press conference where he issued three new Executive Orders to begin the process of reopening the state of Texas while revising hospital capacity and certain social distancing guidelines. Within the orders, select activities and services that pose minimal to no threat of spreading COVID-19 are allowed to reopen using a "Retail-To-Go" model, certain restrictions on surgeries have been loosened, and schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. 

 

Within these orders, the Governor has established  the Strike Force to Open Texas —a team of nationally recognized medical experts and private and public leaders who will advise the Governor on safely and strategically reopening the state of Texas.

 

"Texans are battling a colossal challenge—an invisible enemy that has tested our lives and our livelihoods—but overcoming challenges is part of who we are as Texans," said Governor Abbott. "We have shown that Texas can continue our efforts to contain COVID-19 while also adopting safe standards that will allow us to begin the process of reopening Texas. The Strike Force to Open Texas brings together nationally recognized medical experts with public and private sector leaders to achieve this mission. By coming together, we can get Texans back to work, practice safe standards that will prevent the spread of COVID-19, and we can overcome this pandemic."

   

James Huffines will lead the advisory strike force and Mike Toomey will serve as Chief Operating Officer. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Comptroller Glenn Hegar will serve as consulting members.

 

In addition, Governor Abbott has appointed Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD, as Chief Medical Officer of the strike force. Dr. Hellerstedt will be supported by three Chief Medical Advisors. These health experts will develop a medical architecture to comprehensively test and trace COVID-19 that will enable Texans to gradually and safely begin the process of returning to work and other activities.

 

The medical team will work alongside a Special Advisory Council who will share innovative ideas to help businesses strategically reopen while containing the spread of COVID-19. The council consists of 39 business leaders representing the state's regions and industries. The advisory council will collaborate with working groups to devise strategies, statewide standards, and appropriate time frames to reopen the Lone Star State while prioritizing the health and safety of all Texans.

 

The strike force will immediately begin providing input on potential additional openings of activities and services in Texas consistent with guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Governor will announce a revised plan for the state based on these initial recommendations on April 27.

 

For more information about the Governor's Strike Force to Open Texas, visit the strike force  webpage. 

 

The Governor’s second Executive Order (GA-16)  relates to the safe, strategic reopening of select services and activities in Texas. This order establishes a temporary "Retail-To-Go" model that will allow retail outlets in Texas to reopen beginning Friday, April 24. Under this model, reopened establishments are required to deliver items to customer's cars, homes, or other locations to minimize contact.

 

Under this Executive Order, schools—including public, private, and higher education institutions—will remain closed for the 2019-2020 school year. Teachers may go into the classroom for video instruction, to perform administrative duties, and to clean out their classrooms.

 

The Governor’s third Executive Order (GA-15)  relates to hospital capacity and personal protective equipment (PPE) needed for the COVID-19 response. The order loosens restrictions on surgeries  put in place by Governor Abbott in March . Beginning at 11:59pm on April 21 through 11:59pm on May 8, all licensed health care professionals and all licensed health care facilities must continue to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not medically necessary to diagnose or correct a serious medical condition of, or to preserve the life of, a patient who without timely performance of the surgery or procedure would be at risk for serious adverse medical consequences or death as determined by a patient's physician. Exceptions now include:

The Governor today also directed state parks to reopen on Monday, April 20 with strict guidelines to reduce transmission of COVID-19—including requiring visitors to wear face coverings, maintain a six-foot distance from individuals outside of their party, and prohibiting the gathering of groups larger than five.

Harris County announced the opening of two COVID-19 testing sites in Precinct 4 at locations in Tomball and Humble.

Harris County Public Health will open the first testing site in Tomball on Tuesday, April 14. That site will perform testing on registered visitors from April 14-16 and April 27-29. A second Public Health testing site will open in Humble on Monday, April 20. The Humble location will test registered visitors from April 20-22 and May 7-9.

Each site is expected to handle as many as 100 tests per day, with that number increasing daily. The addresses of the sites will be provided to those successfully completing their registration, but will otherwise remain undisclosed to discourage unregistered visitors.  Unregistered visitors will not be tested and will be turned away by security officials.

To determine whether you should be tested for COVID-19, please visit https://checkforcorona.com/harris-county#/welcome . Those deemed to be at risk for coronavirus will be given a code and phone number to call. After a telephone consultation, those still deemed to be at risk will be given another unique code and information on where and when they are to be tested. Those assigned for testing should bring a photo ID and any other information requested by the phone screener.  Walk-ins will not be tested.

Those with questions may call Harris County Public Health at 832-927-7575 for more information.

The Houston Health Department’s two COVID-19 drive-thru sites will broaden testing to anyone wanting to get a test and double their daily testing capacity to 1,000 on Tuesday.   

Each community site will ramp up its testing capacity from 250 to 500 people per day. The tests are free to the public.

People can call the department’s COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to receive a unique identification code and instructions on where to go for testing and how to obtain their test results.

The community sites only accept people with the identification code obtained through the department’s COVID-19 call center. People showing up at the test sites without an identification code will not get tested.

The testing sites will continue operating until further notice. Workers at the sites only collect insurance information and don’t accept payment. The information obtained through testing or services will not be used against immigrants in their public charge evaluation.

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will be closing the intersection of Kingwood Drive and Texas Loop 494 on Friday, April 17 through Monday, April 20, weather permitting, for a roadway project.  The scope of work includes removing the existing dip located at the existing railroad track by raising the intersection of Kingwood Drive and Tx Loop 494, two feet with asphalt.

TxDOT crews will be mobilized on site Friday, April 17 and the project is expected to be completed by early Monday, April 20, weather permitting. Construction activities are expected to start at 9:00 p.m. on Friday with crews working continuously until 5:00 a.m. on Monday.

As a result of the construction activities, please be aware of flagmen and orange traffic cones that will be put in place on site to help traffic follow the detour routes due to the closure of this intersection. Detours established are Crescent Springs, Butterfly Lane, Royal Forest and Northpark Drive as shown on the map below.

For more information, please contact the Texas Department of Transportation's area office at

(936) 538-3300.

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