It's all about loopholes. Mandating COVID-19 vaccines is a major issue in Texas' Republican primary, despite two separate laws that are said to prevent Texans from having to choose between their carrier and getting vaccinated. It has become.

Republicans in the Texas Legislature struggled, but ultimately passed SB29 and SB7. These are being touted by some lawmakers as an end to the coronavirus vaccination mandate in the state. In practice, however, the language in these two bills appears to be allowing overreach and emboldening those who seek to force these vaccines on unwilling participants.

Breakdown of the bill

Texas SB29effective September 1, 2023, is enshrined as follows:

• Government agencies may not enforce, mandate, or otherwise impose orders requiring the wearing of face masks or other facial coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• A government entity may not enforce, order, or otherwise impose a mandate requiring a person to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
• Government agencies may not implement, order, or otherwise impose orders requiring the closure of private businesses, public schools, open-enrollment charter schools, or private schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

While this may sound like Texas is not allowed to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations, it actually gives the state the power to do just that. Special provisions within SB29 allow certain state-controlled entities to mandate masks, personal protective equipment, and vaccines. The program applies to state-assisted living centers, Texas Department of Criminal Justice or Texas Department of Juvenile Justice facilities, prisons, government-owned hospitals, medical facilities, and university-affiliated hospitals and clinics.

Texas SB7effective February 6, 2024, states:

• Employers may not adopt or enforce a requirement that employees, contractors, applicants for employment, or applicants for contract positions be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment or contract position.
• Employers may not take adverse action against employees, contractors, applicants for employment, or applicants for contract positions for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

Like SB29, SB7 allows for some fairly significant exceptions that allow private companies to discriminate against future and current employees based on vaccination status. For example, a private health facility, health care provider, or physician may require protective medical equipment for unvaccinated employees or contractors.

Texas-2023-SB7-Registered Screenshot

Rep. Brian Harrison told the Daily Caller that Texas has a chance to pass a clean bill that closes loopholes and prohibits vaccine mandates to protect Texas students. He criticized current Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan and members of the Texas House of Representatives. hugh bradyformer President Barack Obama's White House general counsel, for allowing Democrats to block his SB7 amendment.

“The Texas Legislature failed to protect students because of the Texas House leadership and Democratic Congressional leaders. 100 percent of the blame for this lies at the feet of the liberal, failed Texas House leadership and Democratic Congressional leaders. They could have done two things: 1. They should have passed the Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Freedom Act. They stopped doing that for two years. 2. Or they could have passed the Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Freedom Act. They might have accepted my amendment to explicitly protect the ,” Harrison said. (ROOKE: Montana child trafficking story reveals Republican weakness in protecting America's children)

“Speaker Phelan and Barack Obama, the lawyers who control the state Legislature, have prevented us from introducing that amendment. Requiring COVID-19 vaccinations at private universities, medical schools, and nursing schools in Texas. There is no state ban,” he added.

🚨Chairman Dade Phelan and his Democratic congressmen have just decided to keep the party together #COVID Mandatory vaccination in Texas for college students, nursing students, and medical students. can't believe it!

Why would he want to force the coronavirus vaccine on students?

please look! 👇 #txlege pic.twitter.com/oq5S6xduT5

— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) October 25, 2023

Harrison also told the Daily Caller that Phelan has allowed so-called Republicans and Democrats to control key committees in the state Legislature, including the Texas House Calendar Committee. He said the committee has the responsibility of preventing Texas students from passing the bill that would block it from a vote in the House.

“It was the Calendar Committee that blocked consideration of the Texas Coronavirus Vaccine Freedom Act. They intentionally killed that bill with their knowledge, foresight, and malice. “We chose to protect our COVID-19 vaccine mandate by repealing this bill,” Harrison said. “If this bill had been introduced during the regular session in early 2023, it would have passed and there would have been zero COVID-19 vaccination requirements in Texas.”

Dr. Mary Borden told the Daily Caller that even after SB7 and SB29 were signed into law, several Texans who were forced to get vaccinated, lost their jobs, or lost their ability to complete their education. He said he heard the story.

“Mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations begin in Texas, and despite laws prohibiting such mandates, the right to bodily autonomy to maintain employment or continue education We continue to hear from people who are being forced to give up,” Borden said.

Despite good intentions, the final outcome of SB29 and SB7 means some Texans will still be required to show proof of vaccination or otherwise be denied employment opportunities available to vaccinated individuals. There is a risk of being excluded from One of these includes Harris Healthcare's volunteer program. The system, located in Houston, is one of the largest in the country, according to the About Me page.

“We are training the next generation of health care providers in the latest medical procedures and technological advances,” the hospital system said. Website said.

A man who did not want to be identified told The Daily Caller that he was shocked to learn that his college-age child still needs a COVID-19 vaccine to volunteer at Harris Health. He said it is a requirement at the University of Texas for students to volunteer with the hospital system in order to complete their degree programs.

Ultimately, students must decide whether to pursue lifelong career dreams or take a vaccine that does not stop the spread of COVID-19.hospital website openly admit Requiring participants to receive multiple vaccines, most notably two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or one dose of J&J. Volunteers do not have the option of receiving a vaccination exemption.

John Perez, a candidate for Texas House District 133, which includes Houston, where Harris Health is located, said he heard personal stories about vaccine requirements during his candidacy.

Perez said the claim that the Texas Legislature has banned all coronavirus vaccine mandates is “absolutely not true.”

“During the campaign, I continue to listen to current state legislators, including my opponent in HD133. [Rep. Mano DeAyala], boasts of banning all coronavirus vaccine mandates this past Congress. This is simply not true,” Perez told the Daily Caller.

“The vaccine mandate for college students still remains. Our “Republican” calendar committee killed the bill that would have repealed all COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Why is our 'conservative' Texas House fighting against college students' personal medical freedom?'' Perez told The Daily Caller. (ROOKE: Biden's border crisis exposes secrets of America's dirty foreign agents)

“We must also ensure that those serving on committees that affect health care law do not receive Big Pharma funding. Stop government overreach on personal health care freedoms for all Texans.” We have to,” Perez added.

Texas House candidate David Covey, who is running against embattled Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, has also made vaccines an issue for his opponent. He said the two bills are proof that Texans have been “failed” by Phelan and the Texas House.

“I heard (along with my neighbors and other constituents in HD-21) that Congress has ended the vaccination requirement for Texans,” Covey told the Daily Caller. “Well, a watered-down bill passed by the Texas Legislature excluded our sons and daughters (all college students) and forced them to comply with their universities' vaccination mandates. We provided the above exemption, but students were still told they could not graduate without the shot.”

“I see incumbents running campaigns bragging about accomplishing things that didn’t happen,” he says. “This is shameful. We must do more to protect students at the polls now!” He said if elected, there would be a “loophole” that would allow these groups to enact vaccine mandates. He promised to enact legislation to stop this. (ROOKE: States follow blueprint to legalize new forms of child trafficking)

“American college students, especially here in Texas, should not be forced to get vaccinated against the coronavirus in order to enroll or graduate,” he added.

Texas State Sen. Bob Hall told the Daily Caller that the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is currently working to ensure that Texans receive the COVID-19 vaccine if hospital systems like Harris Health continue their practice of requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. He said he is working on a ruling that will determine how the government can act. Hall said the Legislature will work with Ken Ken to determine whether SB7 and SB29 have these loopholes or whether Texas hospital systems are violating the law by requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. He said he is awaiting a decision from Attorney General Paxton and the TWC.

Officials who spoke to the Daily Caller said they expected the March 5 Texas primary to be a referendum on the lack of personal liberties protected by the Texas Legislature and the coronavirus vaccine. Mandatory policies continue to be a hot topic of conversation. Several officials, who did not want to speak on the record, encouraged callers to retract this story about a coronavirus vaccination mandate that would impact the 2024 primary.

The Daily Caller reached out to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan and Texas Representative Mano De Ayala, but did not receive a response.