Iowa lawmakers pass vaccine mandate exemption bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa employees could seek medical and religious exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine mandates and those who are fired for refusing a vaccine would be guaranteed unemployment benefits under a bill approved Thursday by the Iowa Legislature.
The bill was released just minutes before lawmakers met for a special session convened to address redistricting.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has called for legislative action on vaccine mandates. She has opposed government requirements for masks and vaccines even as COVID-19 has killed nearly 7,000 people in Iowa and medical science has shown both tools to be effective in reducing the virus spread.
Reynolds said in a statement after the bill passed that she planned to sign it, calling it a major step forward in protecting Iowans freedoms and their abilities to make healthcare decisions based on whats best for themselves and their families.
https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-iowa-legislature-kim-reynolds-c538d1a05e7f77012e351e02c46c4602