Bexar County Issues Continuation of Declaration of Public Health Emergency

[vc_custom_heading text=”Via an Executive Order issued March 18th, 2020 by County Judge Nelson Wolff” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”]

Excerpt form the Executive Order:

1. Effective as of 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, and continuing until 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 16, 2020:

(a) That all indoor public and private gatherings and outdoor gatherings (“Mass Gatherings”) within an enclosed space of 50 persons or more anywhere in the incorporated and unincorporated territory of Bexar County is hereafter prohibited beginning 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 and continuing for 90 days thereafter, unless extended consistent with requirements of state law;

(b) That Bexar County rental property owners temporarily suspend evictions for at least the next 30 days to prevent renters from being displaced due to the public health emergency;

(c) That foreclosure proceedings within Bexar County be temporarily suspended for at least the next 30 days to prevent the displacement of occupants during the public health emergency;

(d) That constituents and residents of Bexar County are encouraged to conduct essential business online or via regular mail to avoid visiting any Bexar County facilities unless absolutely necessary;

(e) That no temporary health permit for activities that are known to attract more than the established maximum of 50 persons as defined in “Mass Gathering” in 2(a) be approved for at least the next 30 days and would encourage meetings of 10 or less;

(f) Direct local restaurants and bars to follow all Center for Disease Control
guidelines to include

i. limit the amount of people on their premises at one time to half of
the designated seating maximum occupancy and ensure that tables
are at least 6 feet apart from each other;
ii. Disinfect and sanitize commonly touched surface and non-food
contact surfaces at least once every hour;
iii. Not allow parties of more than six (6) people at one table;
iv. Encourage curbside food-to-go programs or deliveries;
v. Adopt and implement a screening policy for food handlers and all
employees, and establish protocols for employees exclusion if they
develop the following symptoms
a. Fever greater than 100.3 degree F
b. Cough and shortness of breath
vi. Make available and visible COVID-19 prevent print materials
within the restaurant; and

(g) That courts consider a reduction in the size of the docket and number of cases called to less than 10 defendants or otherwise consider options to reduce the number of individuals present in any courtroom within the Bexar County Justice Center Complex for the health and safety of staff, attorneys and visitors.

2. Definitions and further guidance:

(a) For purposes of this Executive Order, a “Mass Gathering” is any event or
convening, subject to the exceptions and clarifications below, that brings together or is likely to bring together fifty (50) or more persons at the same time in a single room or other single confined or enclosed space, such as , by way of example and without limitation, an auditorium, theater, stadium (indoor or outdoor), arena or event center, meeting hall, conference center, large cafeteria, or any other confined indoor or confined outdoor space.

(b) A “Mass Gathering” includes events in confined outdoor spaces which means an outdoor space that (i) is enclosed by a fence, physical barrier, or other structure and
(ii) where people are present and they are within arm’s length of one another for extended periods.

(c) This Executive Oder does not prohibit gatherings of people in multiple, separate enclosed spaces in a single building such as multiplex movie theater, so long as 50 people are not present in any single space at the same time.

(d) For purposes of clarity, a “Mass Gathering” does not include the following: (i) San Antonio International Airport; (ii) public or private schools and places of worship; (iii) museums (so long as visitor are generally not within arm’s length of one another for extended periods); (iv) spaces where 50 or more persons may be in transit or waiting for transit such as bus stops; (v) office space, hotels, or residential buildings; (vi) grocery stores, shopping malls, outdoor markets, or other retail establishments where large numbers of people are present but it is unusual for them to be within arm’s length of one another for extended periods; (vii) hospitals, medical facilities and shelters; and (viii) jails and detention centers.

3. The sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this Executive Order are severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this Executive Order should be declared invalid by the final judgment or decree of any court or competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect auy of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections that can be given effect without the invalid provision, and to this end, the provisions of this Executive Order are severable.

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