Texans are already well-acquainted with the bill that, if passed, would prohibit any private businesses, including hospitals in Texas, to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates. A recent development suggests, however, that the legislation has been hampered in the Senate.
‘Anti-business’
This comes with less than a couple of days left in this year’s third special legislative session. One of the legislation’s opposers – the Republican State Senator from Amarillo Kel Seliger – said that the bill doesn’t have enough votes to pass on to the upper chamber. The state senator went on to say that as of late, “it’s not too well developed” and even described it as “anti-business.”
Since Thursday, Senate Bill 51 (SB51) has been on the Senate, though the chamber has yet to do this. This is albeit the fact that they’ve already passed other legislations that are also on the priority list, The Texas Tribune reported.
SB51 is ‘dead’
With that in mind, it is believed that SB51 will be one of those so-called outstanding Abbott priorities that will probably not make it since the special session will close on Tuesday. The McAllen Democrat State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa stated that SB51 is already dead.
Meanwhile, Senate Bill 51 author State Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Tyler) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick were requested to comment on this but declined to do so.
Patrick is the GOP majority’s de facto leader in the upper chamber and also a Republican that presides over the Senate. Additionally, he made use of his power by compensating those senators who were in support of his priorities. As for the opposition, powerful positions were stripped off of them.
COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban
It was learned that over a couple of dozen business, and medical advocacy collectives have scrutinized SB 51 as they fought back against the legislation after it was made known over the past week. After Texas Governor Greg Abbott requested lawmakers to prioritize the bill to make sure Texans are not required to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Hughes filed the bill in question. It can be recalled that Abbott said that despite the jabs being “safe, effective, and the best defense against the virus, he pointed out that it should never be forced and should remain voluntary.
