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Mayor of Houston warns of $250 fine for not wearing mask

Posted at 12:26 PM, Aug 04, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-04 12:26:14-04

If you don't wear a mask in Houston, Mayor Sylvester Turner says the police could start issuing you a citation or fine you $250.

Mayor Turner made the announcement on Monday, which could see people being fined $250 if they don't wear a face-covering apparatus during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Today, I am announcing that we will begin issuing citations to people who are not wearing masks under the state's mandatory mask order," Mayor Turner said in his tweet. "Houston Police will issue warnings and citations to anyone not wearing a mask in public if they don't meet the criteria for an exemption."

"The citation comes with a $250 fine," Mayor Turner continued. "Lives are at stake, so I am taking this step to save lives and slow the virus from spreading in the month of August."

Houston police will not respond to 9-1-1 calls about people who aren't wearing masks, Fox5 reported.

In early July, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide mandate that masks must be worn in public in any county with 20 or more coronavirus cases, Forbes reported.