KOLKHORST BILL BANNING VACCINE PASSPORTS SIGNED INTO LAW
(courtesy Office of Lois Kolkhorst)
Governor Greg Abbott on Monday signed a law that prohibits businesses operating in Texas from requiring customers to show proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status.
Senate Bill 968, authored by State Senator Lois Kolkhorst, bans the use of so-called “vaccine passports” and prevents businesses from asking for customers to show their vaccine cards in order to receive services. The new law goes into effect immediately.
In a tweet on Monday, Abbott said “Texas is open 100 percent without any restrictions or limitations or requirements.”
In early April, Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies and public-funded organizations from requiring consumers to show their vaccination status.
According to Kolkhorst, Senate Bill 968 also requires the Texas Division of Emergency Management to ensure adequate stockpiles of American-made personal protective equipment (PPE), establishes legislative oversight during a public health disaster, protects access to elective medical procedures, and establishes the Office of the Chief State Epidemiologist.
Kolkhorst called this legislation “a great example of striking a balance between our public health priorities, civil liberties, and economic freedoms.”