Gov. Abbott warns schools, local governments will be 'taken to court' for implementing mask mandates

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HOUSTON - With various counties in Texas pushing back against Governor Greg Abbott's executive order prohibiting mask mandates, he took to Twitter to double down on his order saying violators will face legal penalties.

The governor took on social media Wednesday saying: "Any school district, public university, or local government official that decides to defy GA-38—which prohibits gov't entities from mandating masks—will be taken to court."

This comes after major Texas counties like Harris and Dallas issued mask mandates and filed lawsuits against the governor himself in retaliation for the order.

Additionally, many schools in the Houston area argue they're noticing a trend of COVID-19 cases skyrocketing and are either making it mandatory for students and staff to wear masks or offering virtual classes. Even local hospitals shared the dismay of seeing many children hospitalized due to the delta variant.

TROUBLING TREND: Texas sees most COVID-19 hospitalizations in 6 months

Delta variant showing grim picture with increasing number of children hospitalized

Pediatricians at Houston's major hospitals are noticing some drastic changes in COVID-19 and kids because of the Delta variant, including a concerning increase in hospitalizations, even for children without underlying medical conditions.

With the increased number of hospitalizations, hospitals are also struggling to meet the demands due to staffing shortages. To which, the governor also announced on Wednesday, more than 2,500 medical personnel would be deployed this week to assist local hospitals.

Still, the governor argues mitigating the spread of COVID-19 is a ‘personal responsibility.'

"The path forward relies on personal responsibility—not government mandates," Gov. Abbott said.

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According to GA-38, those who attempt to impose a mask mandate or impose a limitation inconsistent or conflicting with the order can be subject to a fine of up to $1,000.