A state judge has tossed out a lawsuit by state Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who argued that his constitutional rights were violated by a Texas Senate rule that requires visitors to take a COVID-19 test before gaining access to the Senate gallery and committee hearing rooms.
In a short order issued Friday afternoon, state District Judge Jan Soifer of Travis County ruled that her court lacked jurisdiction to order the Senate to change its policies.
As a result, Soifer rejected Miller s request for an injunction blocking the testing policy and dismissed his lawsuit against the Senate, its sergeant-at-arms and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a fellow Republican who presides over the Senate.
Sid Miller urges judge to void Texas Senate’s required COVID-19 tests
Lawyers for Attorney General Ken Paxton defended the rule as a reasonable effort to protect health .
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller stands in front of a Texas flag at Renard Group Advertising in Tyler, Texas, Thursday, July 12, 2018. Miller came to Tyler to speak to local agricultural leaders about the state of the Texas agricultural community. (Chelsea Purgahn/Tyler Morning Telegraph via AP)(Chelsea Purgahn / AP)
By Chuck Lindell
With his lawyer objecting to COVID-19 vaccines as “experimental injections” and coronavirus tests as invasive medical procedures, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller asked a state judge Tuesday to void Texas Senate rules requiring Capitol visitors to obtain a negative test or show proof of vaccination, the