Worship Is Our God-Given Right, Controlling Coronavirus Is Our Fundamental Obligation

April 2, 2020

This week, Governor Abbott and I issued guidance for religious services that seeks to do three things:

Ensure Texans’ right to freely worship. Provide guidance to churches, synagogues, and mosques for safely conducting Constitutionally protected worship services. Protect all Texans from the spread of the coronavirus.

The Governor and I strongly agree that this crisis must not be allowed to erode the fundamental, God-given rights of all Texans.

We also agree that flattening the curve of the coronavirus spread to give our healthcare system the maximum opportunity to prepare and respond to those that fall ill is necessary to weather this storm. This is essential to bringing life in Texas back to a state of normalcy as quickly as possible, … continue reading

To local governments…citizens’ gun rights are beyond your authority.

March 31, 2020

I was recently contacted by State Representative Dustin Burrows (R-HD83) concerning the legality of efforts by some municipalities and counties within Texas to restrict the sale of firearms as part of their power under local emergency declarations such as the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Texas law is very clear on this point.

Under the Texas Local Government Code, municipal governments possess the limited authority to regulate the use of firearms during a disaster; however, that authority does not extend to the regulation of transfer, possession, ownership, or sale of firearms.

As I said in the legal opinion issued in response to Representative Burrow’s request, state law provides several emergency powers to local governments to control movement within their region during a … continue reading

A Stern Warning from the Attorney General

March 21, 2020

In this extraordinary time in our history, it is essential that the bodies of government function to serve the needs of the people of Texas and the United States.

My role as your Attorney General, is, first and foremost, to ensure that the fear and uncertainty accompanying this unprecedented event does not incentivize those who would seek to prey on consumers in order to enrich themselves.

My office has communicated this fact consistently to retails, wholesalers, and individuals that sell necessary goods and services.

State law strictly prohibits price gouging and other forms of disaster scams in the wake of a disaster declared by either the Governor or the President. These laws apply to any person or entity selling necessities … continue reading