Dallas Austin

Traditionally, March brings the beginning of Spring. Longer days, warmer temperatures, Spring break trips and opening day at baseball parks across the county. However, in Washington DC, many celebrated Spring early with the signing of the American Rescue Plan on March 11, 2021. The $1.9 trillion legislation is the third and potentially the last installment of government intervention in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation was passed on a party-line votes and President Biden signed the bill into law, kicking off a lengthy cross-country road show extolling the virtues of the Plan.

On March 3, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott announced that he will end Texas’ statewide mask mandate on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 and will allow all businesses to operate at full capacity. Abbott’s announcement comes nearly one year after Texas, county-by-county and city-by-city and ultimately State-wide, went into a strict lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Executive Order GA-34 memorializes Abbot’s the end of the ask mandate and rescinds most of Abbott’s earlier executive orders issued over the past 12 months to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Even with the end of the ma

On March 3, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-34 to provide that, in all counties in Texas not in an area with high hospitalizations: a.  there are no COVID-19-related operating limits for any business or other establishment; and b.  individuals are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings over the nose and mouth wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household, but no person may be required by any jurisdiction to wear or to mandate the wearing of a face covering. The Order, effective March 10, 2021, all

Since his inauguration on January 21, 2021, President Joe Biden has signed over 30 executive orders.  Of particular note, President Biden signed two important COVID-19-related orders within a day of being sworn into office.  Those orders were issued to try to curb the spread of COVID-19 by mandating mask-wearing on Federal property, airports, planes, buses, and trains. The first of the two orders, Executive Order 13991, requires all heads of executive departments and agencies to require compliance with CDC guidelines regarding nose/mouth coverings, maintaining physical distances, and other p

One day after he was inaugurated, President Joe Biden followed through on a campaign promise to labor unions by ordering the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to begin the process of developing COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) for employers. OSHA responded by issuing new non-binding guidance on mitigating and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Any potential ETS that OSHA deems necessary must be adopted by March 15th. If OSHA chooses to issue ETS, the standards would take effect immediately and last no longer than six months, unless they are event