Texas 2021 - 87th 3rd C.S.

Texas House Bill HB170 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Toth H.B. No. 170
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to protecting the medical freedom and bodily autonomy of
7	7	employees with respect to immunization or vaccination status.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that:
10	10	(1) the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and
11	11	corresponding vaccines utilizing new mRNA technology has brought
12	12	the question of personal bodily autonomy to the forefront of our
13	13	national and state dialogue;
14	14	(2) the recently implemented COVID-19 passport
15	15	protections extend only to patrons of businesses and not employees;
16	16	(3) the arguments in defense of customers'
17	17	right-of-access to establishments, goods, and services accompanied
18	18	by a freedom to move about unhindered may also be applied to
19	19	protecting an individual from being made to choose between
20	20	continued employment or taking a vaccine which gives them concerns
21	21	due to medical reasons or reasons of conscience;
22	22	(4) a primary role of our government is to protect
23	23	individual liberties, among which medical freedom and bodily
24	24	autonomy are certainly numbered;
25	25	(5) employers are not otherwise prevented in Texas
26	26	statute from implementing safety precautions for their employees
27	27	and customers apart from COVID-19 vaccinations;
28	28	SECTION 2. Chapter 21, Labor Code, is amended by adding
29	29	Subchapter H-1 to read as follows:
30	30	SUBCHAPTER H-1. DISCRIMINATION BASED ON IMMUNIZATION OR
31	31	VACCINATION STATUS
32	32	Sec. 21.421. PROHIBITED DISCRIMINATION BASED ON
33	33	IMMUNIZATION OR VACCINATION STATUS. (a) An employer commits an
34	34	unlawful employment practice if the employer fails or refuses to
35	35	hire, discharges, or otherwise discriminates against an individual
36	36	with respect to the compensation or the terms, conditions, or
37	37	privileges of employment because the individual has not received a
38	38	COVID-19 vaccine.
39	39	(b) A labor organization commits an unlawful employment
40	40	practice if the labor organization excludes or expels from
41	41	membership or otherwise discriminates against an individual
42	42	because the individual has not received a COVID-19 vaccine.
43	43	(c) An employment agency commits an unlawful employment
44	44	practice if the employment agency classifies or refers for
45	45	employment, fails or refuses to refer for employment, or otherwise
46	46	discriminates against an individual because the individual has not
47	47	received a COVID-19 vaccine.
48	48	SECTION 2. The following provisions are repealed:
49	49	(1) Chapter 224, Health and Safety Code; and
50	50	(2) Section 42.04305, Human Resources Code.
51	51	SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only
52	52	to an unlawful employment practice that occurs on or after the
53	53	effective date of this Act.
54	54	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
55	55	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
56	56	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
57	57	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
58	58	Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
59	59	legislative session.