By: Middleton, et al.  S.B. No. 7
         (In the Senate - Filed October 9, 2023; October 9, 2023,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human
  Services; October 10, 2023, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 3; October 10, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to prohibiting an employer from adopting or enforcing
  certain COVID-19 vaccine mandates; authorizing an administrative
  penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle D, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 81D to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 81D. PROHIBITED CORONAVIRUS VACCINE MANDATES BY EMPLOYER
         Sec. 81D.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Adverse action" means an action taken by an
  employer that a reasonable person would consider was for the
  purpose of punishing, alienating, or otherwise adversely affecting
  an employee, contractor, applicant for employment, or applicant for
  a contract position.
               (2)  "Commission" means the Texas Workforce
  Commission.
               (3)  "COVID-19" means the 2019 novel coronavirus
  disease and any variants of the disease.
               (4)  "Employer" means a person who employs one or more
  employees.
         Sec. 81D.002.  EMPLOYER CORONAVIRUS VACCINE MANDATES
  PROHIBITED. An employer may not adopt or enforce a mandate
  requiring an employee, contractor, applicant for employment, or
  applicant for a contract position to be vaccinated against COVID-19
  as a condition of employment or a contract position.
         Sec. 81D.003.  PROHIBITED ADVERSE ACTION BY EMPLOYER. An
  employer may not take an adverse action against an employee,
  contractor, applicant for employment, or applicant for a contract
  position for a refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
         Sec. 81D.004.  COMPLAINT; INVESTIGATION. (a) An employee,
  contractor, applicant for employment, or applicant for a contract
  position against whom an employer took an adverse action in
  violation of this chapter may file a complaint with the commission
  in the form and manner prescribed by commission rules.
         (b)  A complaint filed with the commission must include the
  following information:
               (1)  the name of the complainant;
               (2)  the name of the employer; and
               (3)  the nature and description of any alleged adverse
  action the employer took against the complainant.
         (c)  On receipt of a complaint under Subsection (a), the
  commission shall conduct an investigation to determine whether the
  employer took an adverse action against the complainant because of
  the complainant's refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
         (d)  The commission shall adopt rules prescribing the
  procedures for accepting complaints and conducting investigations
  under this section.
         Sec. 81D.005.  INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. (a)  The attorney general
  may bring an action for injunctive relief against the employer to
  prevent further violations of this chapter by the employer. The
  action must be filed in a district court in:
               (1)  Travis County; or
               (2)  the county in which the alleged adverse action
  occurred.
         (b)  In an injunction issued under Subsection (a), a court
  may include reasonable requirements to prevent further violations
  of this section.
         Sec. 81D.006.  ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY. The commission may
  impose on an employer who violates this chapter an administrative
  penalty of not more than $1,000 for each violation, unless the
  employer, as applicable:
               (1)  hires the applicant for employment or offers a
  contract to the applicant for a contract position; or
               (2)  reinstates the employee or contractor and provides
  the employee or contractor with back pay from the date the employer
  took the adverse action and makes every reasonable effort to
  reverse the effects of the adverse action, including reestablishing
  employee benefits for which the employee or contractor otherwise
  would have been eligible if the adverse action had not been taken.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to conduct or an adverse action that occurs on or after the
  effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.
 
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