Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed an executive order on Monday that restricts any company, including private businesses, from forcing its employees or consumers to get Covid-19 vaccinations.
In the official statement, he said, “The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced.”
The statement also included that this decision was sparked by the Biden administration’s vaccination mandate, which he described as federal overreach.
Last month, Vice President Joe Biden announced a new regulation mandating that businesses with 100 or more employees ensure that their employees are immunized or tested on a regular basis.
Even though week after the announcement of this emergency rule, the Department of Labor has yet to provide further information on it, but last week, Biden urged firms to act immediately and not wait until it is required.
Abbott, who was COVID-19 positive in August, has refused masks, as well as the need for proof of vaccination. In response to an increase in cases and overwhelmed hospitals in Texas, Abbott has invested in monoclonal antibody infusion centers.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) issued executive orders in July prohibiting local governments and school systems from requiring face masks or vaccinations, imposing $1,000 fines on those who disobey. In legal actions, schools in San Antonio and Dallas have contested the order. In June, the Legislature passed a bill preventing private companies from asking for Vaccine Certificates.
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Abbott also sent a letter to the state House’s chief clerk and Senate secretary Monday, asking them to systematize the requirement in a bill. When the GOP-controlled Legislature passes the measure, he said the order would be reversed.
Other Republican-led states have taken a similar stance as Montana passed a bill banning vaccination requirements by employers. Florida also banned businesses from requiring proof of vaccination this year.