TFVC Stops the University of Houston’s Illegal Vaccine Mandate on Nursing Students

Texans for Vaccine Choice engages in more than community education and lobbying on behalf of the people of Texas to defend their medical autonomy. We also work diligently, every day, to hold institutions and elected officials accountable to the will of their people and the law. We serve as watchdogs, coming to the defense of anyone who is facing discrimination for abiding by their own conscience or due to coerced vaccines from illegal mandates.

One such instance occurred late last month, when Texans for Vaccine Choice was contacted by a mother with a desperate plea. While at first excited that her daughter had been accepted into the nursing program at the University of Houston, her joy was quickly extinguished when she discovered that the program required proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Her dismay turned to righteous anger upon learning that this mandate was in fact illegal under Texas law.

Fearing that her daughter would face further discrimination, the mother felt uncomfortable with contacting the administration directly over this infringement. That is when Texans for Vaccine Choice President, Rebecca Hardy, volunteered to contact the school administration on her behalf to inform the school of their unlawful vaccine mandate, while omitting any identifying information about the woman or her daughter. She enthusiastically consented to the proposal, and the University dean was promptly contacted.

Below is the text sent in the email from Rebecca Hardy to the dean of University of Houston’s Nursing Program:

Dear Dean Tart,

Greetings. My name is Rebecca Hardy. I am the president of Texans for Vaccine Choice. It was recently brought to my attention that the University of Houston Nursing Program may be in violation of new state law.

SB 29 has been in effect since September 2023 and prohibits any taxpayer- funded entity, such as the University of Houston, from mandating COVID vaccines as a condition of enrollment or employment.

SB 7 has been in effect since February 2024 and prohibits private entities from requiring the COVID vaccine for anyone performing work in exchange for a benefit (whether paid or unpaid). SB 7 protects everyone – from students to volunteers to interns to employees.

While the UH Student Clinical Readiness list does not list the COVID vaccine as a requirement for enrollment, Castlebranch, the third party vendor the university uses as a portal for students to upload their enrollment paperwork does indeed list the COVID vaccine in its “Tracker: Clinical Requirements UE83 Spring 2025” list.

If the reason for this discrepancy between the two lists stems from the university’s partner clinical sites persisting in requiring this vaccine for healthcare students, they are in violation of SB 7 and will face up to a $50,000 penalty per violation. If the reason for the discrepancy is because the university itself is requiring this vaccine, the university is in violation of SB 29.

I am hopeful that this is simply an oversight that has not been fixed while the university and its partner sites catch up with new state laws and that the Castlebranch list will be updated quickly to remove this requirement.

I have included Chiefs of Staff for both Sen. Birdwell (JW), author of SB 29, and Sen. Middleton (Andrew), author of SB 7, on this email should you have any questions. I also stand ready to answer any further questions you may have.

With gratitude,
Rebecca Hardy

Two days later, Dean Tart responded to the email, thanking Rebecca for bringing the issue to his attention and ensuring that revisions will be requested from the third party vendor:

Thank you for your email. We have asked the vendor to revise the requirements.

When Rebecca later contacted the mother to deliver the good news, she cried tears of joy. Comforted that her daughter would be able to pursue her nursing dreams absent unjustified, unnecessary, and illegally mandated COVID jabs.

This case at the University of Houston is just one of many examples of advocacy cases that Texans for Vaccine Choice works on everyday. Instances of institutions maintaining such discriminatory and illegal practices sadly persist in Texas, and each instance must be confronted and rectified. 

If you are experiencing or are aware of anyone experiencing discriminatory practices based on vaccination status, please contact Texans for Vaccine Choice and let us know! We work diligently to protect the medical liberty of Texans across the Lone Star State. 

Image of Email Exchange between TFVC President Rebecca Hardy and Kathryn Tart, Dean of the University of Houston Nursing Program: