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House gives final approval to less restrictive COVID-19 vaccine employer mandate bill

By Brandon Smith

Posted March 3, 2022

The Indiana House debates final passage of a bill governing employer mandates of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Indiana House debates final passage of a bill governing employer mandates of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Brandon Smith/IPB News)

The debate in the General Assembly over how and whether to restrict businesses from enforcing COVID-19 vaccine mandates is over.

House Republicans sent a far less restrictive version of their bill to the governor Thursday.

The governor’s office said Holcomb signed the bill into law shortly after House members voted by a wide margin in favor of the bill, setting the stage for Holcomb to lift the emergency declaration after nearly two years.

Holcomb later Thursday signed an executive order ending the current public health emergency. It was due to expire Saturday.

Lawmakers approved the measure even though the state Senate had removed provisions sought by House Republicans that would have forced businesses to give requested religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

The original House version of HB 1001 would’ve forced businesses to grant religious exemptions to getting the vaccine, no matter what. But the measure headed to the governor merely requires businesses to follow current federal law when it comes to considering such exemptions.

Rep. Matt Lehman (R-Berne) is the bill’s author.

“Is it everything that the author of 1001 would like to have? No," Lehman said. "But I think this is a good step forward.”

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues. Trying to follow along with our coverage of the legislative session? We've compiled all the stories our reporters have published by bill number and topic here.

Under the bill, if an employee presents a note from a health care provider saying they should not receive the COVID-19 vaccine, an employer has to grant that exemption.

And the measure does include a new employee exemption to getting the vaccine: if you show proof that you had COVID-19 within three months.

House Democrats all voted against the original bill in January. But after the Senate’s changes, all but one of them voted for it.

“The Senate seemed to strike a better balance between keeping employees safe and respecting religious and medical exemptions,” said House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne).

The bill will also allow Gov. Eric Holcomb to end the state’s public health emergency without losing access to millions in federal funding and preventing the state from easily offering vaccine clinics to children under age 11.

The language does include an April 16 cutoff to enhanced federal SNAP, or food stamp benefits – even if the federal government continues to offer them past that date.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

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