It is a staple of WWII movies that when allied heroes are trying to escape from the clutches of the Gestapo, one beady-eyed secret police agent will ask an American or Brit for, “your papers, bitte.” In “The Great Escape” they are forged expertly. In other films a jump from the train thus becomes necessary.

In Texas, where America still lives, there will be no request for “papers” over vaccination, as Republican Governor Gregg Abbott, who by all rights should be a serious presidential contender, has signed a bill outlawing any noxious travel documents in regards to the virus.

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FNC: “Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law banning businesses from requiring ‘vaccine passports’ in the Lone Star State. The governor signed the bill, S.B. 968, on Monday. It makes it illegal for any business in Texas to require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to engage in business. In addition to banning private businesses from requiring proof of vaccination, any business that does require proof of vaccination may not engage in state contracts and some state agencies that look over different business sectors may require compliance for licenses or permits.

“The law still allows businesses to implement COVID-19 screening and infection measures that are in line with state and federal law. The law goes into effect immediately. S.B. 968 was passed in the waning days of the legislative session. It came after Abbott signed an executive order into law banning state and local governmental agencies and political subdivisions from requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to use services.”

Abbott announced “Texas is open 100%.” Texans have “the freedom to go where you want without limits” and thanked the Texas legislature “for getting this bill to [his] desk…Texans should have the freedom to go where they want without any limits, restrictions, or requirements,” Abbott wrote. “Today, I signed a law that prohibits any [Texas] business or [government] entity from requiring vaccine passports or any vaccine information.”

“We will continue to vaccinate more Texans and protect public health – and we will do so without treading on Texans’ personal freedoms,” Abbott said back in April. In other American news, Abbott signed two bills on Tuesday that strengthened the Texas power grid after the deadly icy onslaught of February. “During the winter storm, too many Texans were left without heat or power for days on end, and I immediately made reforming [Electric Reliability Council of Texas] and weatherizing the power system emergency items,” Abbott said in a press release. “We promised not to leave session until we fixed these problems, and I am proud to say that we kept that promise.” The man is a dynamo and his understated effective leadership would be a welcome reform in a Washington filled with demagogues and show ponys.