House committee OKs ban on businesses requiring vaccinations

By REBECCA BOONE
Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A panel of Idaho lawmakers has advanced a bill that would make it a crime for Idaho businesses to require employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The federal government and companies employing health care workers would be exempt under the bill from Rep. Charlie Shepherd. Other businesses would be barred from firing, segregating or discriminating against unvaccinated workers. The House Business Committee sent the bill to the full House on a party-line vote Tuesday. Shepherd, a Republican from Pollock, said the bill protects “individual liberty,” and that businesses could simply close their doors if the owners feel it is too dangerous to work with unvaccinated employees during the coronavirus pandemic.