Hotze, a staunch critic of Abbott's coronavirus response, left a voicemail with the governor's chief of staff in early June with the incendiary instruction.

Nationwide, coronavirus transmission rates among children have appeared to be low, which has informed the push to reopen schools. But Texas day cares are seeing cases increase quickly.

One day after The Texas Tribune reported that the Texas Medical Association was a sponsor for the indoor Republican convention that is expected to draw 6,000 people, the doctors' group announced it was calling on organizers to cancel.

Abbott has said the actions of his executive order "are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health."

At the beginning of the pandemic, local officials across the state implemented stay-at-home orders for their regions. But now, with cases across Texas' metros surging, those leaders say Abbott has stripped them of the authority to reinstate the same measures.

Months into the pandemic, demand for coronavirus tests in Texas is soaring. Residents across the state report problems with almost every facet of the process, starting with glitchy websites and unanswered phone lines to long delays in receiving test results.

Two years ago, Tiffany Bunton’s uncle, Christopher Lowe, died in Fort Worth police custody. Now, Bunton — an officer with the department and a leader in the police union— is hopeful that the national reckoning over the police killing of George Floyd can spark change in departments like hers.

In early May, Gov. Greg Abbott pointed to the positivity rate — a ratio of positive COVID-19 tests to all tests — and said anything over 10% was cause for alarm. As of Wednesday, Texas exceeded that mark for the first time since April.

The governor also moved to allow the tightening of two kinds of restrictions that had been eased under his reopening plan.

As cases surge in Texas and the pandemic rages on, the representatives said ICE should release all detainees who are not a safety risk and who are more vulnerable to contracting the virus.