Coronavirus in Texas: Paxton issues opinion on temporary tax exemption; state officials discussing oil production cuts

Tuesday’s biggest developments:

• Texas reports 14,624 cases and 318 deaths
• Juvenile justice department to halt new admissions for two weeks
• Paxton issues opinion on application of temporary tax exemption
• Dallas County judge: At least 10 more deaths in the county

Texas programs among those home to 21 migrant children in medical isolation

As of Tuesday, 21 unaccompanied migrant children with active cases of COVID-19 are in medical isolation in two Texas programs as well as an Illinois program, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement — the agency in charge of their care.

None of the children have required hospitalization, the agency said. To date, 27 migrant children have tested positive for the virus, and six recovered and were moved from medical isolation. Children in the agency’s care are tested based on the recommendation of a health care provider or public health department. Affiliated personnel have mandatory temperature checks before they enter the Office of Refugee Resettlement facilities. Among personnel affiliated with ORR programs in seven states, 53 have self-reported as positive for COVID-19. — Stacy Fernández

Juvenile justice department to halt new admissions for two weeks

[2:15 p.m.] As a safety measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the state won’t put anyone new in juvenile detention for two weeks, said Camille Cain, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department’s executive director.

The decision, which Cain announced in a news release Tuesday, is in effect through April 27 but could be extended. As of Tuesday, no youths in a state facility have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the statement.

Paxton issues opinion on application of temporary tax exemption

[1:05 p.m.] Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued an opinion that “purely economic, non-physical damage to property caused by the COVID-19 disaster” is not eligible for the state temporary tax exemption.

The nonbinding opinion, issued April 13, came at the request of state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, who asked Paxton last week for guidance on the issue. Bettencourt’s request was related to a section of the tax code that legislators approved in 2019, in response to property damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

“Section 11.35 of the Tax Code creates a temporary tax exemption for qualified property damaged by a disaster, as declared by the Governor,” Paxton wrote. “A court would likely conclude that the Legislature intended to limit the temporary tax exemption to apply to property physically harmed as a result of a declared disaster.” — Cassandra Pollock

Texas reports 14,624 cases and 318 deaths

[12:30 p.m.] Texas reported 718 more cases of the new coronavirus Tuesday, an increase of about 5% over the previous day, bringing the total number of known cases to 14,624.

Three counties reported their first cases Tuesday; more than two-thirds of the state’s 254 counties have reported at least one case.

Harris County has reported the most cases, 3,747, followed by Dallas County, which has reported 1,788 cases. The totals do not include new deaths reported this morning in Dallas County.

The state has reported 31 additional deaths, bringing the statewide total to 318 — an increase of about 11% from Monday. Harris County reported two additional deaths, bringing its total to 46 deaths, more than any other county.

As of Tuesday, 1,409 patients are known to be hospitalized in Texas. That’s an increase of 233 patients from Monday. At least 146,467 tests have been conducted. — Carla Astudillo

$811.5 million in federal aid going toward Texas airports

[12:25 p.m.] An $811.5 million infusion is coming to Texas airports to support operation and payroll expenses, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Tuesday. The grant is funded through the $2 trillion pandemic relief bill known as the CARES Act.

The money will go toward supporting continuing operations and replacing revenue lost amid the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments. — Stacy Fernández

Report: Up to a third of Texas coronavirus-related deaths occurred in long-term facilities

[10:50 a.m.] As many as one third of every known coronavirus-related death in Texas occurred in a long-term care facility, like a nursing home or assisted living community, The Dallas Morning News reports.

At least one resident or staff member tested positive for the virus in 16 percent of the state’s 198 nursing homes. Fifty-two of the state’s 2,002 assisted care facilities confirmed infection, The News reported. Across the state, 70 people died of COVID-19 in nursing homes and 24 people died in assisted living facilities as of Monday.

Statewide, the number of deaths reached 287 on Monday. The actual percentage of Texas coronavirus deaths in long-term care facilities is probably higher, between 25 percent and 33 percent, health officials say, The News reports. The discrepancy in numbers comes from the lag between when long-term care facilities report updates to the health commission and when statewide numbers are posted. — Stacy Fernández

Jenkins: Dallas County announcing at least 10 more deaths

[8:40 a.m.] During an interview with The Texas Tribune’s Patrick Svitek on Tuesday morning, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the county will announce at least 10 new deaths and “a lot of new illnesses” at a 10 a.m. press conference.

“Every one of those is a person with a family, so that gives concern,” Jenkins said. He added that the county appears to be flattening its curve. “That’s giving us cause for optimism and hope,” Jenkins said. “But we’re in the middle, we’re not in the end, so we have to stay focused. … Don’t let up now.”

Jenkins said it was too early to tell whether the county would extend its stay-at-home order, which is set to expire on April 30. Jenkins said he’ll make a decision as the date nears. — Alex Samuels

Texas officials to discuss request that state cut oil production

[5 a.m.] Attention from across the oil and gas world will turn to Texas on Tuesday as state regulators hold a virtual public meeting to consider cutting oil production, which hasn’t been done in the state since the 1970s.

The single item on Tuesday’s agenda of the Texas Railroad Commission is to discuss the request of two large Texas oil companies, Pioneer Natural Resources based in Irving and Parsley Energy based in Austin, that the state cut oil production as global demand has plunged. At Tuesday’s meeting, the commission is expected to “determine reasonable market demand for oil in the state of Texas.”

Despite its name, the Texas Railroad Commission regulates the huge oil and gas industry and not railroads.

The price of West Texas Intermediate crude closed at around $23 per barrel Monday, following a development Sunday in which a large group of oil-producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States, agreed to slash oil production by 9.7 million barrels a day beginning in May, which amounts to the largest-ever coordinated cut.

But the devastating decline in oil consumption as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has already affected Texas oil producers.

Chairman Wayne Christian and Commissioners Christi Craddick and Ryan Sitton will lead the 9:30 a.m. commission meeting. There are 55 speakers scheduled to provide three-minute presentations, and written comments have been submitted to the commissioners by the scheduled speakers and others across the industry. — Mitchell Ferman

Coronavirus alters parole programs Texas prisoners must complete before being released

[5 a.m.] As the nation is seeing a push to get more people out from behind bars during the new coronavirus outbreak, Texas advocates are asking the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to immediately release people who have already been granted parole but still need to complete education or treatment programs. They argue that these people can continue their programs online or outside of prisons, which are known incubators for disease.

But the idea of increased release has met steady resistance from some law enforcement and Texas officials who fear letting more people out of prison and jail could lead to more crime during what is already a disastrous time for the state.

But relatives of Texas prisoners approved for parole question why their loved ones have to stay in disease-prone facilities while completing programs they say could be done virtually and from home. — Jolie McCullough