With business support lacking, Ohio Legislature pulls vaccine mandate exemption legislation

A vote on a bill that would grant numerous exemptions to workers subject to employer vaccine mandates was postponed in the Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday after the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Ohio Vaccine Coalition announced they did not support it.

The Republican-backed House Bill 435, also known as the Ohio COVID-19 Vaccine Fairness Act, was sent back to the House Rules and Reference Committee for further deliberations. The committee had approved the bill on Tuesday after a brief hearing and sent it to the House for a full vote.

“We’ve had a lot of very good, very productive conversations on House Bill 435. There are a few additional issues our members would like more time to explore” Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp (R-Lima) said. “I think it’s important that we have a consensus within our caucus on how we move forward, so we’re going to take time to do that.”

In a written statement, Ohio Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Steve Stivers said, “House Bill 435 infringes upon the rights of Ohio’s employers. One-size-fits-all government mandates limiting employer rights are not the right approach.”

Sponsored by state Reps. Bill Seitz (R-Green Township) and Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township), the bill would offer sweeping exemptions for employees to refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19, if required by their employers. Employees of a public or private employer would be exempt from mandates for any COVID-19 vaccine for medical contraindications, natural immunity or reasons of conscience, including religious convictions. 

The exemptions also would be available for employees and students at Ohio’s public and private schools, colleges and universities. The legislation also would prevent governments from requiring proof of vaccination to enter locally or state-owned public facilities, which would include publicly funded sports stadiums.

“[House Bill 435] purely seeks to ensure that Ohioans reluctant to take the COVID-19 shot will not be injected against their will and will not have their jobs, their education, or their access to governmental services jeopardized as a result,” Carfagna testified to the committee.