![]() “I personally don’t believe that we should just throw our freedoms and our rights in the trashcan,” Justice said. Governor Justice made similar points while discussing the bill at a covid-19 briefing today. “Today I suggest we err on the side of individual liberty and vote green.” Gov. Shouldn’t we be for both?” Summers asked. “Here we are pitting business against worker. We want to be valued,” she said of medical workers.īut she said debate on the House floor had been divisive. ![]() Summers, a nurse, said she spoke both for her constituents and for many workers in medical fields. House Majority Leader Amy Summers, R-Taylor, said the intent of the bill is neither anti-vaccine nor anti-business. This bill does the opposite.” Amy Summers Every one of us wants to make this a more business friendly state,” Skaff said. Usually, he said, the argument is “Get government out of the way and let us do our business. “I have a list of 50 businesses here, last 24 hours, major employers, against this bill. House Minority Leader Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, made reference to that letter when he argued against the bill. “This bill sends a chilling message to employers looking to expand into West Virginia and sets up existing employers for a barrage of lawsuits,” the companies wrote. They noted that employers with immunization requirements for their workforce are already under the guidance of federal law, that West Virginia employers are likely to feel obligated to follow federal guidelines when they go into effect through the Biden administration, and they contended that the bill interferes with a private employer’s rights to manage their own workplace. ![]() Another worry was the possibility that the bill could result in unintended consequences such as increased risk of litigation for employers or opening the door to broad exemptions for other, longstanding vaccination requirements.ĭozens of employers under the umbrella of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to lawmakers expressing opposition to the bill. The bill resulted in vigorous debate over whether it would delineate religious and medical exemptions already present in caselaw or whether it might instead run counter to federal regulations. Jim Justice introduced the bill partway through this week’s special session that initially was called for legislative redistricting and to allocate federal relief dollars to state agencies. It also allows exemptions through notarized certification for workers with religious beliefs against taking the covid-19 vaccine. The bill allows exemptions for workers who provide signed documentation by a doctor or advanced practice nurse, after an in-person examination, that a specific medical precaution is warranted. The bill remains under consideration in the state Senate. House Bill 335 passed by a 68 to 30 vote, with House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, among those who voted against it. The only thing this bill does is say if you’re going to have a mandate here’s the guidelines you need to go by,” said Delegate Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, chairman of the Government Organization Committee. “This bill does not stop any employer from enacting a mandate. Over the objections of business groups, the House of Delegates passed a bill outlining requirements for religious and medical exemptions to workplace vaccination requirements.
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