Texas Gov. Greg Abbott prohibited government-mandated vaccine passports on Tuesday. Last month, the governor reopened Texas businesses to 100% and lifted the mask mandate, pointing to the increase in vaccinations as a cause of relief. And despite 13 million doses being administered since then, Abbott says the government should not mandate or force vaccinations onto its constituents. That’s why he signed an executive order prohibiting state and political agencies from requiring a vaccine passport.
“Government should not require any Texan to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives,” Abbot says in a video announcement. "We will continue to vaccinate more Texans and protect public health — and we will do so without treading on Texans' personal freedoms.”
The executive order prohibits any organization that receives public funding from requiring one’s vaccination status to receive any services or enter a particular place. It also states a government entity cannot compel anyone to receive a COVID-19 vaccine under an emergency use authorization.
To read the executive order, visit Gov.Texas.gov.