[co-author: Wellesley Anna DuBois]

Texas: On July 9 Governor Abbott issued a Proclamation (the Proclamation) amending Executive Order GA-27. The Proclamation expands the number of counties required to postpone all non-essential surgeries and procedures indefinitely to preserve hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients to include:

• All counties within Trauma Service Area J: Andrews, Brewster, Crane, Ector, Glasscock, Howard, Jeff Davis, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward, and Winkler counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area K: Coke, Concho, Crockett, Irion, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reagan, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton, and Tom Green counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area M: Bosque, Falls, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area O that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27: Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, San Saba, and Williamson counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area P that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27: Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Wilson, and Zavala counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area Q that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27: Austin, Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area R: Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, and Orange counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area S: Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, and Victoria counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area T that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27: Jim Hogg and Zapata counties;
• All counties within Trauma Service Area U that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27: Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, McMullen, Refugio, and San Patricio counties; and
• All counties within Trauma Service Area V that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27: Starr and Willacy counties.

Procedures that do not reduce a hospital’s capacity to treat COVID-19 patients are specifically exempted. The Proclamation is effective July 9, and will remain in full effect as long as Executive Order GA-27 is effective.