Assembly approves bill that would ban businesses from requiring workers and customers to be vaccinated

Molly Beck
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - Hospitals and clinics would be barred from requiring their staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under legislation Assembly Republicans passed.

Even before the vote, Democratic  Gov. Tony Evers signaled he would veto it if it got to him.

Assembly Bill 299 would also forbid government officials and business owners from requiring any person to provide proof of receiving a COVID-19 vaccination to receive services, access buildings, participate in events or transact business. 

"While we believe and have been encouraging folks to get vaccinated if that's the proper health-care decision for them, we also don’t believe people have to share their personal health information just to go about their daily lives," said Republican Rep. Tyler August of Lake Geneva.

August said decisions about vaccines should be left to individuals in all cases, including for foreigners who travel to the United States.

Vaccination rules are being considered by some Wisconsin colleges to ensure COVID-19 spread is contained on campus, and by hospital officials to ensure patients and health care workers stay healthy.

The Wisconsin Medical Society, which represents doctors, says the rules help ensure patients and workers in hospitals don't get sick. 

"Those whose lives are most endangered by COVID-19 — the elderly and patients with compromised immune systems or other conditions — deserve to have access to health care services in facilities where precautions have been taken against easily-spread viruses like SARS-CoV-2," Mark Grapentine, chief policy and advocacy officer, said in written testimony against the bill.

The bill passed 60-37, with Democratic Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez joining all Republicans in support of it. The vote sent the bill to the Republican-led Senate.

Assembly Democratic Leader Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh said that "reckless comments" made by Republicans sow doubt about vaccinations. 

"The overall impact of this rhetoric undermines our vaccination effort and our ability to recover from COVID," Hintz said. 

You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them here.

Patrick Marley and Hope Karnopp of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Contact Molly Beck at molly.beck@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MollyBeck.