Texas vaccine mandate ban to impact large businesses

Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order banning mandates of the COVID-19 vaccine could impact the large number of businesses that operate in the state on a global scale.

Gov. Abbott issued the executive order last week stating that "no entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination by any individual, including an employee or consumer, who objects to such vaccination for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19.”

According to NPR, Abbott said that "vaccines are strongly encouraged for those eligible to receive one, but must always be voluntary for Texans" and he has added a conversation about COVID-19 vaccination mandates to the agenda for the Third Special Session.

An Area Development report stated that several states have chosen to operate out of Texas because of ideal business conditions at the municipal and state level. The report went on to state that Texas is no. 2 when it comes to overall business in the country, while tying for first in competitive labor environments and available real estate.

American Airlines, out of Dallas, and Southwest Airlines, out of Houston, have gone on record that they would require employees to get vaccinated, a mandate that goes against Abbott’s executive order and could spark issues moving forward.  

Other recognized companies that are located in the state include Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard, Texas Instruments, ExxonMobil, McKesson, AT&T and USAA, all of whom must now decide whether to follow the executive order, according to Concordia.