Another State Bans 'Vaccine Passports'

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, declaring that vaccination efforts must happen "without treading on Texans' personal freedoms," issued an executive order Tuesday banning government-mandated "vaccine passports." The order prohibits government agencies from requiring anybody to be vaccinated or to show proof of vaccination in order to receive services, NBC reports. It also bans public and private organizations that receive government funds from requiring people to show they have been vaccinated.

"Government should not require any Texan to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives," the Republican governor said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a similar order last week, which also bars businesses from requiring people to show their COVID-19 vaccination status. The White House said Tuesday that the Biden administration will not be involved in any vaccine passport schemes, the Hill reports. "There will be no federal vaccinations database and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential," press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. (More coronavirus stories.)