Odessa City Council votes to not enforce state or federal Covid mandates

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - The City of Odessa voted to not enforce any mandates imposed nationally or by the State of Texas.

The resolution was presented by City Council Member Chris Hanie. He says why and where we need to mask up is for individuals to decide.

“Nobody’s gonna lose a job because they don’t get a stick or they have to wear a mask,” said Hanie.

Hanie says Odessa is not seeing a rise in Covid cases.

“When they started threatening that they were gonna make mask mandates and vaccines, well how many things did you lose we lost businesses, businesses were going under left and right everybody was put into a position of we’re gonna lose it so not this time,” said Hanie.

State Representative Brian Harrison who was chief of staff of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Former President Trump partnered with the City of Odessa.

“Joe Biden and his administration are trying to bring back Covid tyranny for round two,” said Harrison.

“It is incumbent on states freedom loving patriots elected republicans, I don’t care quite frankly what party you are, if you believe in freedom it’s incumbent on you to stand up and push back against another round of Covid tyranny.”

Harrison filed the Texas Covid Vaccine Freedom Act to ban all Covid19 vaccine mandates in Texas. The Texas House killed the bill.

“I hope that tonight’s bold, brave action in defense of medical freedom, individual liberty, informed consent, I hope this causes city after city and other counties across Texas and across America to see the courage on display here and I hope the courage is contagious,” said Harrison.

Harrison says he believes Odessa is the first city in the state of Texas to do this.

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