Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, authored legislation during the regular session to outlaw all COVID-19 vaccine mandates. When he announced an immediate special session on other priorities last week, he first rattled off a list of regular-session achievements that included “end COVID restrictions and mandates.”Ībbott’s office did not respond to a request for comment for this story. It appears to be an issue that Abbott wants to put in the rearview mirror. Harrison sent Abbott a letter Tuesday asking him to make a “comprehensive ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates” part of a special session agenda. He added that private vaccine mandates are “alive and well in Texas” despite Abbott’s orders and that the state “should be leading the fight against the COVID tyranny.” “Is there a single COVID mandate that SB 29 will end? Probably not,” Harrison said in an interview. He pushed for a more sweeping ban on vaccine mandates during the regular session. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, said he voted for SB 29, calling it “fine” but questioning how much it really matters. But it remains a salient cause for some in Abbott’s party who have championed “medical freedom” in the wake of the pandemic. It may be a largely symbolic debate to the average Texan: The pandemic is waning, and Abbott long ago took executive action to snuff out all types of mandates. In addition, a proposal curbing his power never made it to Abbott’s desk. But some Republicans say it does not go far enough because it does not cover private entities. On Friday, Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 29, which prohibits local governments from requiring COVID-related masks, vaccines or business shutdowns. This year, Abbott sought to quiet his critics once and for all by asking lawmakers to prioritize legislation to “end COVID restrictions forever.” He also asked for limits on his power to respond to a pandemic without legislative input. Greg Abbott has faced nagging scrutiny from fellow Republicans over his response, from ordering business closures early on to managing vaccine mandates later. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.Įver since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020, Gov.
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