Sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers heads to governor

Protesters rallied against Houston Methodist Hospital's COVID-19 vaccine mandate outside the Baytown facility on June 7, 2021. The state Legislature has passed a bill that prohibits private businesses from requiring their employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. (Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune)

---

A sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employees of private Texas businesses is on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, carrying with it a $50,000 fine for employers who punish workers for refusing the shot.