On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign sweeping legislation to prevent another weather disaster that crippled the state back in February.

Senate bills 2 and 3 passed in the House and Senate on Monday and are now expected to be signed into law. Both bills will head to Gov. Abbott’s desk for signing at 1 p.m.

The winter freeze in February wreaked havoc on the Texas infrastructure and left dozens of people dead. Many blame ERCOT, or the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, for not being prepared for such a massive weather event. Power was shut off to thousands of families during the coldest week of the year. ERCOT said to prevent a larger systemwide failure, and lawmakers say it should have been prevented.

Senate Bill 3 would require electricity providers operating on the grid manage by ERCOT to weatherize equipment. The bill would also create a state-wide power outage alert system.

Senate Bill 2 will shrink the number of seats on ERCOT’s board of directors from 16 to 11. It would also make the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house more involved in selecting those board members.

A $2 billion plan to help our companies pay for the upgrades as part of a House bill, but that stalled in the Senate. There is nothing in SB-3 to create a fund.

Source: www.click2houston.com

Texas is open 100%

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that he will be signing a law into place that will prohibit any Texas business from requiring vaccine passports or vaccination information.

“Texas is open 100% without any restrictions or limitations or requirements,” Abbott wrote on Twitter.

His announcement follows the conversations many state leaders are having across the nation. Many local businesses are strongly encouraging workers to get the vaccine but not requiring it at this time.

According to a survey done by the PNC Financial Services Group, about 150 small to medium-size businesses in Houston questioned, 43% said they would require employees to get the vaccine. Thirty-six percent said they would assist and educate them and 20% said they would offer incentives to employees who choose to get vaccinated.

In April, Abbott signed an executive order that restricts the ability to require coronavirus vaccinations and so-called vaccination passports.

The order states that no governmental entity can require a person to receive a COVID-19 shot. It reads that state agencies are also prohibited from requiring people to provide proof of a vaccination as a condition of receiving a service or entering a place.

The order also applies to any public or private entity that is receiving public funds “in whole or in part.” The proof-of-vaccination order does not apply to nursing homes, state-supported living centers, assisted living facilities, or long-term care facilities.

Those places can still require a resident to provide proof of their vaccination status.

Source: www.click2houston.com

WHEREAS, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, issued a disaster proclamation on March 13, 2020, certifying under Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) poses an imminent threat of disaster for all counties in the State of Texas; and

WHEREAS, in each subsequent month effective through today, I have issued proclamations renewing the disaster declaration for all Texas counties; and

WHEREAS, I have issued executive orders and suspensions of Texas laws in response to COVID-19, aimed at protecting the health and safety of Texans and ensuring an effective response to this disaster; and
WHEREAS, a state of disaster continues to exist in all counties due to COVID-19;

NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with the authority vested in me by Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code, I do hereby renew the disaster proclamation for all counties in Texas.

Pursuant to Section 418.017, I authorize the use of all available resources of state government and of political subdivisions that are reasonably necessary to cope with this disaster.

Pursuant to Section 418.016, any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for the conduct of state business or any order or rule of a state agency that would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with this disaster shall be suspended upon written approval of the Office of the Governor.  However, to the extent that the enforcement of any state statute or administrative rule regarding contracting or procurement would impede any state agency’s emergency response that is necessary to cope with this declared disaster, I hereby suspend such statutes and rules for the duration of this declared disaster for that limited purpose.

In accordance with the statutory requirements, copies of this proclamation shall be filed with the applicable authorities.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 4th day of June 2021.

Source: gov.texas.gov