LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — A Republican-led push in the state House aims to make vaccination status a protected category under Michigan civil rights law.
The proposal, introduced last month and spotlighted at a Capitol press conference on June 10, would amend the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit public and private employers from rejecting or firing someone solely because of their vaccination status.
“Until we get true vaccine freedom where someone could refuse to be vaccinated for anything that they do in life—to travel, to get on a plane, to go into a government building—we will not have true freedom until that happens,” bill sponsor Rep. Jim DeSana (R-Carleton) said at a press conference with Michigan for Vaccine Choice, according to The Detroit News.
The legislation, DeSana said, responds in part to COVID-era mandates but would apply broadly to all vaccines. It carves out exceptions, however, for child care organizations, healthcare jobs that require immunizations, and employers tied to federal funding that mandates vaccines.
Additionally, a separate bill from Rep. Brad Paquette (R-Niles) would scrap a 2014 administrative rule requiring parents to receive health department counseling before opting their children out of school vaccine requirements. Paquette’s measure would let parents submit written objections directly to schools without a health department visit.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Senate Democratic leadership have not yet taken a public stance on the legislation.