Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an Executive Order on Monday prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine mandates “by ANY entity in Texas,” which would include private businesses that have already mandated vaccines:
I issued an Executive Order prohibiting vaccine mandates by ANY entity in Texas.
I also added the issue to the Special Session agenda.
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, & our best defense against the virus, but should always remain voluntary & never forced. pic.twitter.com/8hHHLyebCk
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 11, 2021
The reaction from libs is about what you’d expect:
Greg Abbott is a mass murderer. https://t.co/xn7H9CkPZn
— Dan Arel (@danarel) October 11, 2021
This EO does keep in place the state’s current mandated vaccines:
Keep in mind, Abbott is not prohibiting all vaccine mandates.
Mandates requiring vaccines for Tetanus, POLIO, MMR, MCV4, Hepatitis 1 & 2, Varicella remain in place.
Abbott is only prohibiting a COVID vaccine https://t.co/UojKfrLJIr
— Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) October 11, 2021
And Abbott himself defended mandates by private businesses in August:
This comes after just two months ago he said businesses should be free to do what they want on the issue.
Cancel the Republican primary. Pretty clear Greg Abbott is just going to do whatever @DonHuffines and @AllenWest want, just a few weeks later. https://t.co/1LmaYhlrbR
— Ryan J. Rusak (@rjrusak) October 11, 2021
So, what happens to all the employees who already got fired for refusing the jab?
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The big implication here is for private businesses, which Abbott previously allowed to mandate vaccines for employees
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) October 11, 2021
And this does set up a battle with the White House:
TX Gov. Abbott teeing up another battle w/ the White House over vaccination mandate for large public & private employers, issuing exec order banning vaccine mandates–calling them "federal overreach." More in the next few hours of Morning in America. @newsnationam @NewsNationNow https://t.co/1Yd2uc49fp
— Evan Lambert (@EvanLambertTV) October 12, 2021
That is, IF the White House ever does release that OSHA mandate:
Maybe some smart Texas lawyers can help me out with a question — isn't adding the issue to a legislative agenda an admission that he doesn't have the legal authority to do it as an executive order?
Also, doesn't OSHA's authority override this anyway? https://t.co/FrXiFrQDxs
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) October 11, 2021
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