The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has threatened to revoke the licenses of two restaurants in Austin after they required customers to provide proof that they’ve received at least the first COVID vaccine.
Launderette and Fresa’s were contacted Wednesday by the TABC and notified that they were violating Senate Bill 968, which was passed this year.
Allegedly, neither restaurant was aware of the legislation and both immediately complied.
Both restaurants took to Facebook to update customers that they will no longer require proof of vaccination and ask that they wear masks indoors when not seated.
An email from TABC explained, “While the agency has not taken formal action against any businesses to date, we have requested to meet with representatives of businesses where potential noncompliance could be taking place”.
Senator Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, created SB 968 and it was signed in June by Gov. Greg Abbott. One clause of the bill prohibits businesses from requiring customers to provide documentation of a COVID-19 vaccination or their post-transmission recovery in order to enter a business or receive service.
Part of the bill can be read here: https://twitter.com/CovertCuriosity/status/1426012544049762307/photo/1
Kolkhorst and other Republican leaders have strongly opposed vaccine passports, and Gov. Abbott has not backed down on his COVID policies.
Local leaders are working to fight Abbotts’s ban on mask mandates and President Joe Biden said this week he’s checking to see if he can legally intervene to stop the ban.