Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that he will be signing a law into place that will prohibit any Texas business from requiring vaccine passports or vaccination information.
“Texas is open 100% without any restrictions or limitations or requirements,” Abbott wrote on Twitter.
Recommended Videos
His announcement follows the conversations many state leaders are having across the nation. Many local businesses are strongly encouraging workers to get the vaccine but not requiring it at this time.
According to a survey done by the PNC Financial Services Group, about 150 small to medium-size businesses in Houston questioned, 43% said they would require employees to get the vaccine. Thirty-six percent said they would assist and educate them and 20% said they would offer incentives to employees who choose to get vaccinated.
In April, Abbott signed an executive order that restricts the ability to require coronavirus vaccinations and so-called vaccination passports.
The order states that no governmental entity can require a person to receive a COVID-19 shot. It reads that state agencies are also prohibited from requiring people to provide proof of a vaccination as a condition of receiving a service or entering a place.
The order also applies to any public or private entity that is receiving public funds “in whole or in part.” The proof-of-vaccination order does not apply to nursing homes, state-supported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities.
Those places can still require a resident to provide proof of their vaccination status.