BATON ROUGE. (AP) — A key step the town of New Orleans took to stop the unfold of COVID-19 on the top of the pandemic can be prohibited beneath laws accredited Tuesday by a Home committee.
The invoice by Rep. Thomas Pressly, a Shreveport Republican, would prohibit state and native governments from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a situation for entry into public locations or non-public companies. It was accredited 12-5 by the Well being and Welfare Committee. It goes subsequent to the complete Home.
Final August, New Orleans started requiring proof of vaccination or a damaging COVID-19 take a look at as a situation for coming into bars, eating places or different public venues. The mandate stayed in place by way of the Mardi Gras season that pulls large crowds to the town. It was lifted in late March as instances and hospitalization charges declined.
Pressly’s invoice wouldn’t prohibit companies from imposing vaccine mandates on their very own. The invoice was accredited by a vote of 12-5.
Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has lengthy touted the protection and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, final yr vetoed laws geared toward vaccine mandates. It isn’t but clear whether or not he would veto Pressly’s invoice, ought to it turn out to be legislation.
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The committee additionally accredited a decision that might repeal a state well being division rule that added the COVID-19 vaccine to the listing of required vaccinations. The decision, which works subsequent to the complete Home, wouldn’t be topic to veto.
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