Transcription of GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT
1 ,Texas78701 DearDeputySecretaryEsparza:Pursuanttohis powersasGovernoroftheStateofTexas, , ,October11,2021 FILEDINTHUFFICEOFTHESECRETARYOFSTATE-_4 O CLOCK2O2itheGovernorAttachmentPOSTOFFICE Box12428 AUSTIN,TEXAS78711512-463-2000(VOICE)DIAL 7-1-1 FORRELAYSERVICES xrcuthr1rirrBYTHEGOVERNOROFTHESTATEOFTEX ASE xecutiveDepartmentAustin,TexasOctober11, 2021 EXECUTIVEORDERGA4 ORelatingtoprohibitingvaccinemandates, ,I,GregAbbott,GovernorofTexas,issuedadis asterproclamationonMarch13,2020, (COVID-19)posesanimminentthreatofdisaste rforallTexascounties;andWHEREAS,ineachsu bsequentmontheffectivethroughtoday,Ihave renewedtheCOVID-19disasterdeclarationfor allTexascounties;andWHEREAS,Ihaveissueda seriesofexecutiveordersaimedatprotecting thehealthandsafetyofTexans,ensuringunifo rmitythroughoutTexas,andachievingtheleas trestrictivemeansofcombattingtheevolving threattopublichealth;andWHEREAS,COVID-19 vaccinesarestronglyencouragedforthoseeli gibletoreceiveone,butmustalwaysbevolunta ryforTexans;andWHEREAS,IissuedExecutiveO rdersGA-35,GA-38,andGA-39toprohibitgover nmentalentitiesandcertainothersfromimpos ingCOVID-19vaccinemandatesorrequiringvac cinepassports;andWHEREAS,inyetanotherins tanceoffederaloverreach,theBidenAdminist rationisnowbullyingmanyprivateentitiesin toimposingCOVID-19vaccinemandates,causin gworkforcedisruptionsthatthreatenTexas scontinuedrecoveryfromtheCOVID-19disaste r.
2 AndWHEREAS,countlessTexansfearlosingthei rlivelihoodsbecausetheyobjecttoreceiving aCOVID-19vaccinationforreasonsofpersonal conscience,basedonareligiousbelief,orfor medicalreasons,includingpriorrecoveryfro mCOVID-19;andWHEREAS,throughChapter161of theTexasHealthandSafetyCode,aswellasothe rlawsincludingChapters38and51oftheTexasE ducationCode,thelegislaturehasestablishe ditsprimaryroleoverimmunizations,andalli mmunizationlawsandregulationsinTexasstem fromthelawsestablishedbythelegislature;a ndWHEREAS,thelegislaturehastakencaretopr ovideexemptionsthatallowpeopletooptoutof beingforcedtotakeavaccineforreasonsofcon scienceormedicalreasons;andWHEREAS,Iamad dingthisissuetotheagendafortheThirdCalle dSessionofthelegislaturethatiscurrentlyc onvenedsothatthelegislaturehastheopportu nitytoconsiderthisissuethroughlegislatio n;andWHEREAS,Iwillrescindthisexecutiveor derupontheeffectivedateofsuchlegislation ;FILEDINTHEOFFiCEOFThS.
3 SECRETARYOFSTATE4:OCT112021 GovernorGregAbbottExecutiveOrderGA-40 October11,2021 Page2 NOW,THEREFORE,I,GregAbbott,GovernorofTex as,byvirtueofthepowerandauthorityvestedi nmebytheConstitutionandlawsoftheStateofT exas, ,includinganemployeeoraconsumer,whoobjec tstosuchvaccinationforanyreasonofpersona lconscience,basedonareligiousbelief,orfo rmedicalreasons, semergencymanagementplanshallapplytoany failuretocomplywith (a)oftheTexasGovernmentCode, (b) ,Chapter81,SubchapterEoftheTexasHealthan dSafetyCode,andanyotherrelevantstatutes, ,GA-37,GA-38, ,amended,rescinded, , O CLOCKOCT112021