BAN SOUGHT ON VACCINE MANDATES TO INCLUDE STUDENTS

ELLIS COUNTY – When the Texas House passed Senate Bill 7 during the last special session, it gave residents in Ellis County the peace of mind not to have to worry about losing their jobs due to COVID mandates.

The bill banned employers from requiring employees, contractors, applicants for employment, and applicants for a contract position to be forced to receive a COVID-19 vaccine to be hired or continue working at their place of employment.

State Rep. Brian Harrison, who represents Ellis County in Austin, had been pushing for that bill to pass. 

Now he is taking that up a notch, and with another special session that began in Austin last week he has filed HB 34, the Texas COVID Vaccine Freedom for Students Act. 

This bill expands the protection for private employees passed during the 3rd special session to include all Texas students. 

The bill will prohibit mandates at private universities not only in Ellis County, but around the state including Baylor College of Medicine, which recently enacted a COVID vaccine mandate for students. 

Harrison had originally asked for an amendment to the language in SB 7 asking for students be included, but was killed by Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan.