The proposal, rejected on Monday by Governor Eric Holcomb, was created by Republican legislative leaders and sought to end previous COVID-19 orders, including a state of emergency that has been in place since March of 2020. The bill would require private businesses to offer and accept vaccine mandate exemption requests. According to WFYI, the proposal would have also banned companies from firing employees who refuse to receive the vaccine.
Holcomb, a Republican, told reporters that he wants to talk more about the issue of vaccination mandates with lawmakers before committing to a decision.
“I want to hear where they’re coming from, what their thoughts are,” Holcomb said. “We need to talk about the whole bill in detail, as well. But I’m very pleased that they included my three items that show a way for us to land this ship.”
Along with other Republican governors, Holcomb previously criticized President Joe Biden for his vaccine requirements for federal and private employers with 100 or more employees. However, he is continuing to push vaccination and other safety measures to citizens. He recently authorized a move from the state health commissioner to allow pharmacists to give COVID-19 vaccines to children. The House and Senate will vote on the proposal on November 29.
The date of the meeting between Holcomb and the Republican leaders has not been released.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
The proposal would reject an appeal from the state’s largest business organization to leave such decisions up to employers and strike against Indiana University’s student vaccine mandate that a U.S. Supreme Court justice let go into effect.
Indiana is seeing a new rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, along with other Midwestern states.
Holcomb says he supports the rights of businesses to make their own decisions.
Holcomb last week asked lawmakers to approve steps that would allow the state to keep receiving enhanced federal funding for Medicaid expenses and to those eligible for food assistance programs
The bill is set on an extraordinary fast track for approval, with a single public hearing scheduled for Tuesday at the Statehouse.
