Fort Bend County Judge KP George announced during the Tuesday, October 13, 2020 Commissioners Court Meeting that bars would be allowed to reopen in the county.
Fort Bend County Judge KP George says he will allow bars to reopen in the county this week.
On Tuesday, Judge George said he will be submitting paperwork to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to allow bars and similar establishments to open at 50% capacity in Fort Bend County on October 14.
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Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that bars could reopen at 50% capacity in regions with low COVID-19 hospitalizations if county judges choose to do so.
Judge George says he has been “working diligently with medical experts, the data, bar owners/managers, and the community at large to make a decision on the re-opening of bars in Fort Bend County.”
“Our survey of bar owners and managers showed that the overwhelming majority of them would like to open and that they would implement the Department of State Health Service protocols in their establishments,” Judge George wrote on Facebook.
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He reminded residents that the governor can shut down bars again if the hospitalization rate due to COVID-19 reaches a certain level.
“In Fort Bend County, we have led the way in wearing masks, practicing physical distancing, and avoiding mass gatherings allowing us to better control and fight COVID-19,” he worte. “This is not the time to let our guard down. My message to all bar owners, managers, and customers is BE SAFE, BE SMART.”
Last week, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough and Galveston County Judge Mark Henry announced that bars would be allowed to reopen in their county when the governor’s order takes effect on Wednesday. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said bars would not be reopening in the county at this time.
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