Texas Extends Emergency SNAP Benefits, Expands Testing In Underserved Communities Disproportionately Impacted By COVID-19

Hays County releases regular updates on the number of confirmed cases and other local statistics related to COVID-19.

On Wednesday, June 3, Governor Greg Abbott announced phase three of Texas’ plan to safely open the economy while containing the spread of COVID-19. 

Under Phase III, effective immediately, all businesses in Texas will be able to operate at up to 50% capacity, with very limited exceptions.

Businesses that previously have been able to operate at 100% capacity may continue to do so, and most outdoor areas are not subject to capacity limits. 

All businesses and customers should continue to follow minimum standard health protocols laid out by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

Effective June 3:

All businesses currently operating at 25% capacity can expand their occupancy to 50% with certain exceptions. 

Bars and similar establishments may increase their capacity to 50% as long as patrons are seated.

Amusement parks and carnivals in counties with less than 1,000 confirmed positive cases may open at 50% capacity. 

Restaurants may expand their maximum table size from 6 to 10 persons.  

Effective June 12:

Restaurants may expand their occupancy levels to 75%. 

Counties with 10 or less active COVID-19 cases may expand their occupancy limits to 75%. Counties that fit this category but have not previously filed an attestation with DSHS will need to do so.

Effective June 19:

Amusement parks and carnivals in counties with more than 1,000 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 may open at 50% capacity.

Additional Openings:

Special provisions have been made for outdoor gatherings, such as Fourth of July celebrations, but it is imperative that local officials and public health officials collaborate on safe standards.

These provisions are included in the Governor’s Executive Order and are also available on the Open Texas webpage. 

Further Protocols:

All businesses should continue to follow the minimum standard health protocols from DSHS. 

For details and a full list of guidelines, openings, and relevant dates, visit http://open.texas.gov.

Reminders for those going out:

• Individuals are encouraged to wear appropriate face coverings.
• People should not be in groups greater than ten when possible.
• People over the age of 65 are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible.
• People are still asked to avoid nursing homes, state-supported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities.

View the Governor’s Executive Order.

Governor Abbott, HHSC Announce Extension Of Emergency SNAP Benefits During COVID-19 Pandemic

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will provide approximately $177 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for the month of June in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

HHSC received federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend the maximum, allowable amount of SNAP benefits to recipients based on family size.

“As we continue the process of safely and strategically opening Texas for business, we are committed to ensuring families across the state have access to nutritious food,” said Governor Abbott. “This extension of emergency benefits will help Texans in need provide for their families while our state continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“This extension helps ensure those who need it most are able to continue providing nutritious food for their families and maintain their health,” said Texas HHS Access and Eligibility Services Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter. “We’ll continue to be flexible in our response to this pandemic to make sure Texans can access the services they need as this situation evolves.”

More than 900,000 SNAP households will see the additional amount on their Lone Star Card by June 12. The emergency June allotments are in addition to the $414.7 million in benefits previously provided to Texans in April and May.

Administered by HHSC, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1.4 million eligible low-income families and individuals in Texas.

Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits.com or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits.

Governor Abbott, TDEM Announce Expanded Testing In Underserved Communities Disproportionately Impacted By COVID-19

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) is coordinating with local officials, public health officials, and emergency management offices in cities across the state to identify and rapidly expand COVID-19 testing in underserved and minority communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the virus.

This mission is part of TDEM’s ongoing partnership with the Texas Military Department (TMD), the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF), and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and increase testing where needed.

TDEM is already working with local officials in the cities of Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, El Paso, Abilene, the Rio Grande Valley, the Coastal Bend, Laredo, and Midland-Odessa to identify and establish walk-up and drive-thru testing sites that will meet the needs of each community, and is in the process of working with other cities to bring more sites online in the coming days.

TDEM is also working with local leaders to expand walk-up and drive-thru testing in urban areas where large-scale protests have taken place.

“As the State of Texas continues to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we are committed to ensuring every Texan has access to COVID-19 testing no matter where they live,” said Governor Abbott. “We must address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underserved and minority communities and ensure that anyone who needs a test can have one. As many Texans continue to gather for protests, the state is also taking steps to address potential surges in COVID-19 cases. We are ensuring that Texans can continue to safely exercise their First Amendment Rights while putting protocols in place to identify and mitigate any spread of COVID-19.”

As these sites continue to come online across the state, Texans can visit covidtest.tdem.texas.gov to find the test collection location nearest them.

TMD currently has 1,535 National Guardsmen supporting the state’s mission to expand testing across the Lone Star State.

To date, these teams have conducted 116,394 specimen collections, and have fielded over 195,000 phone calls for test collection appointments with an average wait time of 55 seconds.