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Texas bar owners suing state's governor over forced closures==
BY KHRISTOPHER J. BROOKS
UPDATED ON: JUNE 30, 2020 / 3:01 PM /
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-bar-owners-suing-state-coronavirus-executive-order/
A dozen bar owners in Texas are suing Governor Greg Abbott and the state's alcohol commission, alleging a recent executive order from Abbott that forced bars to close has unfairly singled them out and may lead to their doom. The lawsuit comes as Texas is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases this month.
Texas was one of 20 states that began phased reopenings of its economy in mid-May, a move that allowed shuttered Lone Star bars and restaurants to welcome back customers, at least at limited capacity. But weeks later, Texas hospitals became inundated with thousands of new COVID-19 cases.
Abbott blamed the uptick on "certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars," according to a statement last week. The swelling coronavirus case load prompted Abbott to halt the Texas reopening plan and issue an executive order on June 26 that blocked people from patronizing bars.