Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order Monday that prohibits any entity, including private business, from enforcing a Covid-19 vaccine mandate on workers and called on state lawmakers to pass a similar ban into law.
Abbott also announced his administration had added the issue to the Texas legislature’s upcoming special session agenda. His executive order will be withdrawn “upon the passage of such legislation,” according to the release.
Abbott was previously vaccinated for COVID-19, and also later tested positive for the virus. In his executive order, he said that “vaccines are strongly encouraged for those eligible to receive one, but must always be voluntary for Texans,” reports The Guardian.
Abbott’s latest move sets him up for a confrontation with President Joe Biden, who last month called on businesses nationwide to require their workers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. At least several thousand people have since been fired for refusing to comply.
Biden’s order has also led to a number of lawsuits across the country. From airline employees to teachers and healthcare workers and others. Glenn Cohen, a health law and bioethics professor at Harvard Law School, told ABC News that strong legal precedent dating back to the early 20th century gives businesses and governments the legal backing to enforce the mandates.
Abbott’s new order also carries political implications. The two-term Republican governor is facing pressure from two candidates in next year’s GOP primary, former state senator Don Huffines and former Florida congressman and Texas state party chairman Allen West.
The two candidates have attacked Abbott for his COVID-19 policies and both are strongly opposed to vaccine mandates. West announced this week he tested positive for Covid-19 and has been hospitalized, but also tweeted he remains opposed to vaccine mandates.
“He knows which way the wind is blowing. He knows conservative Republican voters are tired of the vaccine mandates and tired of him being a failed leader,” Huffines tweeted.
Tech giants Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google have both told employees that they would need proof of vaccination to return to their offices. Both companies employ large numbers in Texas.
Fort Worth-based American Airlines, the largest carrier in the country, last week told its 100,000 U.S.-based employees they must submit proof of full vaccination no later than Nov. 24 – or be fired.
United Airlines imposed a vaccine mandate on its 60,000 employees, around 9,000 of whom are based in Texas.
