Download Governor Abbott's Executive Order GA-40: Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in Texas and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Voice in PDF only on Docsity! GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT Mr. Joe A. Esparza Deputy Secretary of State State Capitol Room 1E.8 Austin, Texas 78701 Dear Deputy Secretary Esparza: Pursuant to his powers as Governor of the State of Texas, Greg Abbott has issued the following: Executive Order No. GA-40 relating to prohibiting vaccine mandates, subject to legislative action. The original executive order is attached to this letter of transmittal. Respectfully submitted, October 11, 2021 FILED IN TH UFF ICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE -_4€O’CLOCK 2O2i the Governor Attachment POST OFFICE Box 12428 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78711 512-463-2000 (VOICE) DIAL 7-1-1 FOR RELAY SERVICES xrcuthr 1rirr BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS Executive Department Austin, Texas October 11, 2021 EXECUTIVE ORDER GA4O Relating to prohibiting vaccine mandates, subject to legislative action. WHEREAS, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, issued a disaster proclamation on March 13 , 2020, certifying under Section 4 1 8.014 of the Texas Government Code that the novel coronavirus (COVID- 19) poses an imminent threat of disaster for all Texas counties; and WHEREAS, in each subsequent month effective through today, I have renewed the COVID-19 disaster declaration for all Texas counties; and WHEREAS, I have issued a series of executive orders aimed at protecting the health and safety of Texans, ensuring uniformity throughout Texas, and achieving the least restrictive means of combatting the evolving threat to public health; and WHEREAS, COVID-19 vaccines are strongly encouraged for those eligible to receive one, but must always be voluntary for Texans; and WHEREAS, I issued Executive Orders GA-35, GA-38, and GA-39 to prohibit governmental entities and certain others from imposing COVID- 19 vaccine mandates or requiring vaccine passports; and WHEREAS, in yet another instance of federal overreach, the Biden Administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas’ s continued recovery from the COVID- 19 disaster; and WHEREAS, countless Texans fear losing their livelihoods because they object to receiving a COVID- 1 9 vaccination for reasons of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19; and WHEREAS , through Chapter 16 1 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, as well as other laws including Chapters 38 and 5 1 of the Texas Education Code, the legislature has established its primary role over immunizations, and all immunization laws and regulations in Texas stem from the laws established by the legislature; and WHEREAS, the legislature has taken care to provide exemptions that allow people to opt out of being forced to take a vaccine for reasons of conscience or medical reasons; and WHEREAS, I am adding this issue to the agenda for the Third Called Session of the legislature that is currently convened so that the legislature has the opportunity to consider this issue through legislation; and WHEREAS, I will rescind this executive order upon the effective date of such legislation; FILED IN THE OFFiCE OF Th S,... SECRETARY OF STATE 4 : OCT 1 1 2021
