Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced a ban on government-mandated Covid-19 vaccine passports in his state.
Texas became the second state to do so after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order last week prohibiting the use of vaccine passports in the Sunshine State.
Abbott’s executive order bans any regulation that would require Texans to show proof of vaccination before getting a product or service, and blocks all businesses or entities receiving state funds from requiring vaccine documentation.
The Biden administration has been working with private corporations to develop a vaccine ID system, with a growing number of companies saying they will require proof of vaccination to do business with them.
“Every day, Texans return to normalcy as more people get the COVID vaccine. In fact, this week, Texas will surpass 13 million doses administered,” Abbott said in a Tuesday video announcement. “Those shots help slow the spread of COVID, reduce hospitalizations, and reduce fatalities.”
“But, as I have said all along, these vaccines are always voluntary and never forced. Government should not require any Texan to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives,” the governor continued. “That is why I issued an executive order that prohibits government-mandated vaccine passports in Texas. We will continue to vaccinate more Texans and protect public health and we will do so without treading on Texans’ personal freedoms.” Read more…