Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s new order bans local governments from issuing mask, vaccine mandates - KSAT San Antonio

On Thursday, Abbott responded with a new executive order that does the opposite — further removing tools from local governments to enact policies that public health experts say would help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including mask requirements, capacity limits and vaccine mandates.

In a statement, Abbott said the executive order “emphasizes that the path forward relies on personal responsibility rather than government mandates.”.

Under the executive order, governmental entities cannot “compel any individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccine administered under an emergency use authorization.” Read the full order at the bottom of this article.

The new order removes the ability of local officials to reduce business capacity if COVID-19 hospitalizations exceeded 15% of total hospital capacity in the region for seven consecutive days.

The executive order also makes clear that governmental entities, including school districts, cannot require face masks or enact other restrictions.