Texas Governor Dodges Challenge to State Contact Tracing System

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott won his bid to toss a lawsuit over the state’s contact tracing system because the challengers failed to allege he had the power to enforce it, according to a federal district court opinion.

The plaintiffs, which consisted of 1,300 Texas residents and businesses, lacked standing to sue because Abbott (R) was neither a party to the contract that set up the program, nor responsible for its enforcement, Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ruled July 23.

The lawsuit alleged that the state contracted with MTX Group Inc. ...