Private business owners in Idaho could soon be criminally charged if they ask their workers to disclose their COVID-19 vaccine status or impose a vaccine mandate as a condition of employment.
House lawmakers passed the bill Tuesday over bipartisan opposition.
“There’s a very small percentage of businesses in this state that are abusing their ability to tell their employees what they can and can’t do,” said Rep. Charlie Shepherd (R-Pollock), who sponsors the bill.
The proposal would also apply to any future vaccines that have received emergency use authorization by the federal government. Federal employees and some health care workers would be exempt.
“It just doesn’t seem right that we are going to allow this to happen when we have to be the referee in this,” Shepherd said.
Violations would be considered a misdemeanor with a $1,000 fine.
A few of Idaho’s largest employers have required its workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, including Saint Alphonsus and St. Luke’s health systems and Micron.
Rep. Julianne Young (R-Blackfoot) agreed, saying she should be able to maintain her own bodily autonomy.
“If my own person is not my castle, I don’t have a refuge,” Young said.
Supporters of the bill repeatedly said they didn’t want to debate the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, which have been shown to substantially reduce hospitalizations and deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last year that infections in fully vaccinated people were potentially less transmissible, but further studies were needed.
Meanwhile, critics said the bill tramples on other people’s liberties.
Scott Syme (R-Caldwell) said his daughter is immunocompromised and her husband uses a wheelchair. The proposal would make it illegal for them to ask a home health aide about their vaccination status.
“That’s their personal right to ask,” said Syme. “But now what you’re saying is you are going to make my daughter a criminal and punish her with a $1,000 fine.”
In situations involving an immunocompromised employee, Rep. Greg Chaney (R-Caldwell) said this bill could conflict with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires businesses to offer reasonable accommodations for workers.
Other Republicans said it could also be a problem for global businesses, like Micron and Simplot, who send workers to other countries with vaccine mandates.
State senators will now consider the bill.
Follow James Dawson on Twitter @RadioDawson for more local news.
Copyright 2022 Boise State Public Radio
Member support is what makes local COVID-19 reporting possible. Support this coverage here.
