Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Monday prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine mandates by any "entity," including employers, if someone objects to the vaccine for "any reason of personal conscience."
Why it matters: The new executive order goes further than the Republican governor's previous vaccine mandate ban passed in August, which prohibited vaccine mandates by any state government entity or entities that received public funds.
State of play: Abbott has also submitted the issue to the state legislature's special session agenda. The executive order would be rescinded once legislation codifying it has passed, according to a press release from the governor's office.
