House Bill (HB) 218, the anti-vaccine bill that passed the Ohio House of Representatives on November 18, is scheduled to be heard in the Senate General Government Budget Committee on Tuesday, November 30.
The Vaccine Coalition, of which the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians is a member, circulated a statement opposing HB 218. The statement was circulated to all Ohio Senate members prior to Tuesday’s hearing.
The statement in part reads, “… we stand together to oppose HB 218 as passed by the House. We appreciate the leadership of the Ohio House of Representatives for their attempt to create a suitable legislative solution to the ongoing deliberations concerning vaccine requirements by employers and universities in Ohio.”
The statement continues, “Unfortunately, the provisions of HB 218 fall short of what our state needs as we work toward pandemic recovery, and this bill does not address the concerns expressed by the medical, business, and university communities about prior proposals of a similar nature. Protection of an employer’s rights to make decisions in the best interest of their employees and those we serve cannot be overstated.”
The statement concludes, “Although our organizations oppose HB 218, we appreciate your consideration and look forward to continuing to work with members of the legislature on this issue.”
- Prohibits mandates for COVID-19 or other vaccines using mRNA technology (COVID-19 is the only vaccine currently using mRNA)
- For other mandated vaccines, requires employers to offer the following exemptions: medical, natural immunity, religious, and philosophical
- Sunsets the mandatory exemptions effective Tuesday, September 30, 2025
- Employees working in a children’s hospital or intensive care unit (ICU) are not covered by the mandatory exemptions, though hospitals must make a “good faith effort” to keep these workers employed in a different unit or capacity in the facility
- Requires the Ohio Workers’ Comp system to cover COVID-19 related vaccine injuries if mandated by an employer (also sunsets in 2025)
- Prohibits any public or private entity from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccine status for entry
- Extends civil immunity protections previously included in HB 606 (133rd) through Friday, June 30, 2023.