AUSTIN, Texas — After being closed amid the pandemic, guided tours of the Texas Governor's Mansion are set to resume on Wednesday, March 10.
Once dates and times are determined, instructions will be posted on the State Preservation Board website.
Guided tours at the Governor’s Mansion had been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 safety precautions. A statement on its website read, "In addition to being a historical site, the Governor’s Mansion is also the residence of the First Family of Texas and it is not possible to safely provide tours while also adhering the CDC’s health standards."
This comes after Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced that effective March 10, a new executive order will be enacted to lift coronavirus safety mandates, such as requiring Texans to wear face masks in public places and business capacity restrictions.
"Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed," Abbott said Tuesday.
The governor said businesses are still allowed to implement their own capacity limits or safety protocols as they see fit.
"However, under no circumstance can a county judge put anybody in jail for not following COVID orders and no penalties can be imposed for failing to wear a face mask," the governor added. "Also, if restrictions are imposed at the county level, all entities must be allowed to operate at least a 50% capacity."
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