Republicans on a House committee have voted for a bill that would ban mask mandates and any future vaccine mandates in schools — including colleges, as well as in businesses, non-profits and government agencies. Republican Representative Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs said the bill prevents discrimination and protects personal medical information.
“The people of Iowa want action on this,” Jacobsen said during last night’s committee meeting. “…They’ve lost their jobs. They’ve lost their livelihoods.”
The bill would forbid employers from firing a worker because of their vaccination status. All the Democrats on the panel voted no. Representative Bruce Hunter, a Democrat from Des Moines, called it a dangerous bill.
“We’re a country torn apart not just by a virus, but by conspiracy theorists who fundraise and demagogue that wearing a mask at the grocery store will somehow lead to the rebirth of the Third Reich,” Hunter said during Wednesday night’s committee meeting.
The bill is now eligible for debate in the full House.