Iowa state legislature on Thursday approved a bill that would ensure employees who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 under medical or religious exemptions will be guaranteed unemployment benefits, according to US media reports.
The legislation was released moments before state lawmakers met for a special session that was scheduled to talk about redistricting.
Kim Reynolds, the Governor of Iowa and a member of the Republican party, has often stood against federal mandating of COVID-19 vaccines and face masks in the state and called for legislative action on the matter.
More than 7,000 people have succumbed to COVID-19 related complications in Iowa since the pandemic began in early 2020, according to reports from Associated Press.
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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 what’s best for themselves and their families”, according to reports from Associated Press.
More than 100 people opposing vaccination requirements rallied at the Capitol to push for stronger language and lobbyists for the business community said the bill as drafted puts business owners in a conflict between complying with federal directives or state law.
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Representative Mary Mascher, a member of the Democratic party, noted that a huge chunk of people who died due to COVID-19 related complications were unvaccinated workers.
She said, “We are not trying to hurt anybody. We are trying to save lives and the medical community has been helping us with those efforts”, according to reports from Associated Press.
Bobby Kaufmann, a Representative in the Iowa state legislature and member of the Republican party, backed the bill. He said, “people would not get fired Monday because of the bill period, so for them I want this bill to pass.”
(With AP inputs)
