Abbott Escalates Battle with Federal Government
Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning any entity in Texas from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine mandates became even more contentious when the Biden administration issued its own order that would require most employers to inoculate their workers.
Abbott’s order was met defiantly by some Texas-based companies who are already mandating vaccines and critics decried the confusion it might create. It remained to be seen if the Texas legislature would pass additional legislation in the remaining days of the third special session.
Why does Governor Abbott oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates?
INSTRUCTORS: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.
Videos:
News Articles:
Texas vaccine mandate ban may be trumped by federal law but could cause uncertainty
Reuters
Abbott’s vaccine mandate ban under fire, Texas abortion law gets federal win
KXAN
What will happen when Texas’ ban on Covid-19 vaccine mandates conflicts with the federal vaccine requirement
CNN
10/13/21 https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/13/us/texas-vaccine-mandate-abbott-legal/index.html
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bans any COVID-19 vaccine mandates — including for private employers
Texas Tribune
10/11/21 https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/11/texas-greg-abbott-covid-19-vaccine-mandate/
News Articles (Analysis):
Texas abortion ban remains in effect after appeals court rules against Justice Dept.
Washington Post
Texas’ near-total abortion ban will remain in effect as federal appeals court agrees to hear legal challenge
Texas Tribune
10/14/21 https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/14/texas-abortion-restrictions-appeal/
Appeals court allows Texas abortion law to stay in place while legal challenges play out
Washington Examiner
DOJ to ask Supreme Court to block Texas abortion law
ABC 7 News
10/15/21 https://abc7news.com/doj-to-ask-supreme-court-to-block-texas-abortion-law-/11127587/
Assessment:
Writing: Explain why some businesses are choosing to defy Governor Abbott’s executive order. Why do some analysts believe that businesses like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines prefer a government mandate for vaccination of employees?
Debate: Should the federal government or states have more say on vaccination policies that impact businesses?
Poll: Should the Supreme Court strike down the Texas abortion law?
Short Answer: How has S.B. 8 survived early court challenges despite concerns about its constitutionality?
Quiz:
According to Governor Abbott’s executive order, which of these should be an acceptable reason to avoid getting vaccinated?
a. the pain caused by the shot
b. the cost of the vaccine to the employee
c. religious belief
d. low body mass index
Why did many court observers expect the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate S.B. 8?
a. the fifth circuit court is in Texas
b. the fifth circuit court is considered one of the nation’s most conservative
c. the fifth circuit court hears all abortion appeals
d. the fifth circuit court is the second-most prominent court in the country after only the U.S. Supreme Court
Which Texas case ultimately led to the right to have an abortion?
a. Griswold v. Connecticut
b. Texas v. White
c. Shelby County v. Holder
d. Roe v. Wade
Governor Abbott’s executive order prohibiting vaccine mandates only applies to public institutions. (T/F)
S.B. 8 permits abortions if the pregnancy came as a result of incest or rape. (T/F)
Most abortion providers have stopped performing the procedure altogether. (T/F)
