Must allow, not may allow. No rejecting them for any reason.
The bill requires certain health care facilities that have a vaccine policy to let covered workers opt out for reasons of conscience, including religious belief, instead of merely allowing it. It also bars those facilities from rejecting such a conscience exemption for any reason. Covered individuals at these facilities can no longer be denied a conscience or religious exemption from required vaccines, starting immediately with a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 29, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the Public Health committee.
relating to vaccine exemptions for individuals covered under a
vaccine preventable disease policy implemented by certain health
care facilities.
WHAT IT DOES
Must allow, not may allow. No rejecting them for any reason.
The bill requires certain health care facilities that have a vaccine policy to let covered workers opt out for reasons of conscience, including religious belief, instead of merely allowing it. It also bars those facilities from rejecting such a conscience exemption for any reason. Covered individuals at these facilities can no longer be denied a conscience or religious exemption from required vaccines, starting immediately with a two-thirds vote or on September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Senator Middleton moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 407 at this time on its third reading and final passage: CSSB 407, Relating to a health care facility's required policy for vaccine preventable diseases. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 19, Nays 12.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 19 (published)
Nay: 12 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Senator Middleton moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 407 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 407, Relating to a health care facility's required policy for vaccine preventable diseases. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 19, Nays 12.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 19 (published)
Nay: 12 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Witnesses13
For
8
Against
5
On
0
Names
For
Self; Texans for Medical Freedom1 registration
Self; Texans for Vaccine Choice2 registrations
Self; Texas For Vaccine Choice1 registration
Self; Texas for Vaccine Choice1 registration
Self; True Texas Project3 registrations
Against
Houston Methodist Hospital1 registration
Texas Association of City and County Health Officials1 registration
Texas Hospital Association1 registration
Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society1 registration
The Immunization Partnership1 registration
Sources
13 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.
Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.
By: Middleton
S.B. No. 407
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to vaccine exemptions for individuals covered under a
vaccine preventable disease policy implemented by certain health
care facilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 224.002(c), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(c) The policy shall [ may ] include procedures for a covered
individual to be exempt from the required vaccines based on reasons
of conscience, including a religious belief. A health care facility
shall not reject an exemption based on reasons of conscience,
including a religious belief, for any reason.
SECTION 2. 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 September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 
