COVID-19 vaccine exemption passes West Virginia House

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A bill to limit West Virginia employers in their ability to require workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus passed the House of Delegates on Friday.

The proposal, which would allow certain medical and religious exemptions to company COVID-19 vaccine mandates, passed the Republican-led chamber 68-30 with two delegates absent. It remains pending in the Senate.

The bill covers businesses and state government agencies. Employers would be barred from penalizing or discriminating against current or prospective employees for pursuing the exemptions.

Gov. Jim Justice added the bill to the Legislature’s special session this week.

Justice, a Republican, lifted an earlier indoor mask mandate in June. While he has been adamant that residents get their COVID-19 shots in a state whose population has the lowest vaccination rate in the country, he opposes any new mask or vaccine mandates.

Read more: https://www.register-herald.com/region/covid-19-vaccine-exemption-passes-west-virginia-house/article_1b9fccbd-8856-504f-8268-b24bea070931.html
(Beckley Register-Herald)