Texas governor bans vaccine mandates in state

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Monday that bars all entities, including private businesses, from requiring COVID-19 shots among their workers. Abbott noted in his order that the vaccines are strongly encouraged but must remain voluntary for Texans. He had previously blocked state and local government agencies from issuing mandates but allowed private companies to set their own regulations.

Why the extended order? The Biden administration is expected to announce new measures requiring businesses with more than 100 employees to enforce vaccinations or weekly coronavirus tests. Several Texas-based companies have committed to following the federal mandate. The state currently sees about 7,200 new coronavirus cases each day, down from a recent peak of more than 20,000 per day in mid-September. Montana passed similar legislation barring employers from requiring the shots, while other states blocked schools from enforcing vaccines. 

Dig deeper: Read Steve West’s report in Liberties about a Florida ruling on vaccine mandates.