Abbott "passed the buck" on reopening bars, says TBNA

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Bar & Nightclub Alliance says that with his latest announcement, Gov. Greg Abbott has "passed the buck" on reopening bars.

Abbott announced on Wednesday that bars will be allowed to reopen starting Oct. 14 at the discretion of county judges.

Counties in Texas can choose to allow bars or similar establishments to operate with in-person service. Bars that open will be allowed to operate at up to 50% capacity, according to new checklists that were added to the governor's website.

Checklists for both bars and bar patrons were added to Governor Abbott's Strike Force to Open Texas page on his website this afternoon. However, the TBNA says this latest plan is a "death sentence" for some of its members.

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The Texas Bar & Nightclub Alliance says that with his latest announcement, Gov. Greg Abbott has "passed the buck" on reopening bars.

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TBNA president Michael Klein released a statement on the announcement, saying in part

"TBNA is under no delusions: many of our members will eventually be allowed to operate under this new order because their county judge will lead and 'opt in'. However, this is a death sentence for so many of our members under the jurisdiction of county judges who still believe that we should be locked down like we were in March and April, despite all the progress we've made coexisting with this virus."

Klein says that the latest announcement is not data-driven and that members will "remain closed until someone else makes the decision to open us up based on whatever parameters they deem appropriate--data, politics, personal animus, you name it."

Klein says that Abbott has forced the 254 elected county judges in Texas to decide to open bars for him "with no guideposts as to how to make that decision."

"No other sector of the Texas economy is being handled this way, even similar businesses such as restaurants or bingo halls. Bars are being singled out," Klein said.

Klein also raised questions about the order, such as is this opt in permanent, can it be rescinded and if so why and for how long. "We have absolutely no business certainty with this plan," he said. "Our members buy fresh food, beer, and other perishable items. What happens if a county judge wakes up and changes their mind? More sunk costs, more lost revenue, more dreams destroyed."

READ THE FULL STATEMENT FROM TBNA BELOW:

"We are extremely shocked by the announcement made today. When other Governors around the country, like Ron DeSantis, continue to lead and set a course for economic and social recovery for their states, today our Governor punted.

TBNA is under no delusions: many of our members will eventually be allowed to operate under this new order because their county judge will lead and 'opt in'. However, this is a death sentence for so many of our members under the jurisdiction of county judges who still believe that we should be locked down like we were in March and April, despite all the progress we've made coexisting with this virus.

In his last announcement, Abbott rightly took a regional approach based on a hard data point--hospitalizations--that began with the basic premise that Texas was further opening the economy without local officials having to opt in. We were left out of that announcement.

But today there was no such data driven approach. No basic premise in the announcement that we are now open. The truth is we remain closed until someone else makes the decision to open us up based on whatever parameters they deem appropriate--data, politics, personal animus, you name it.

Abbott has forced 254 other people to make this decision for him with no guideposts as to how to make that decision. He's officially passed the buck.

No other sector of the Texas economy is being handled this way, even similar businesses such as restaurants or bingo halls. Bars are being singled out.

And is this opt in permanent? Can it be rescinded? if so, why? And for how long? We have absolutely no business certainty with this plan. Our members buy fresh food, beer, and other perishable items. What happens if a county judge wakes up and changes their mind? More sunk costs, more lost revenue, more dreams destroyed.

Texas bars and nightclubs are now the official scapegoat of the pandemic."

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