Ordinance 2020-04-31 was enacted in April. It extended Mayor George Fuller’s disaster declarations and incorporated executive orders by Gov. Greg Abbott concerning COVID-19. The ordinance allowed the city to “take any actions necessary to promote health and suppress the virus and insuring compliance for those who do not comply with the City’s rules.” This included a mandatory face covering policy for McKinney businesses.
However, “some confusion has been voiced by residents concerning the possibility of conflicts” between the city ordinance and state ordinances that have since been passed by Abbott, city documents stated.
Fuller said the move to repeal the ordinance represents McKinney following suit with other cities in the region.
"Nearly every city in North Texas has rescinded their local ordinances once the governor took control," he said. "We are trying to have greater consistency in the region."
Council Member Charlie Philips added that the McKinney ordinance is an add-on to the governor's order and "does cause confusion as to where the chain of command lies."
As a result, the city decided to repeal Ordinance 2020-04-31 in its entirety “to provide uniform regulations and enforcement in response to the COVID-19 virus,” per city documents.
Fuller made a point, however, that Abbott's order regarding mandatory face masks in places where social distancing is not possible is still in effect.
