Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he is barring the use of government mandated vaccine passports in the Lone Star State.
"Texans shouldn't be required to show proof of vaccination & reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives. I issued an Executive Order that prohibits government-mandated vaccine passports in Texas," Abbott tweeted. "Don't tread on our personal freedoms."
Sound on: pic.twitter.com/UgrO6YFgxh
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 6, 2021
Abbott joins Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who did the same last week.
"No Florida government entity, or its subdivisions, agents, or assigns, shall be permitted to issue vaccine passports, vaccine passes, or other standardized documentation for the purpose of certifying an individual's COVID-19 vaccination status to a third party, or otherwise publish or share any individual's COVID-19 vaccination record or similar health information," the executive order states. "Requiring so called COVID-19 vaccine passports for taking part in everyday life -- such as attending a sporting event, patronizing a restaurant, or going to a movie theater --would crest two classes of citizen based on vaccination."
Today I issued an executive order prohibiting the use of so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports. The Legislature is working on making permanent these protections for Floridians and I look forward to signing them into law soon. Read my EO here – https://t.co/6QwLsLWEWm
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 2, 2021
Meanwhile California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom is doing the opposite by mandating vaccine passports.
Indoor concerts, conferences, seated live events, sports, and other private gatherings can resume in California starting April 15, state officials announced. To attend gatherings, people will have to either be tested or show proof of full vaccination. https://t.co/kYDbInBozX
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) April 2, 2021