Nikiski Rep. Ben Carpenter, the sponsor of HB 175, is hoping that the bill that he introduced in mid-April will be heard in the upcoming 2nd Regular Session, which is scheduled to begin on January 18th. The bill was assigned to Community and Regional Affairs and then the Labor & Commerce Committee and reportedly didn’t have a single hearing. The bill, which was cosponsored by ten other Representatives, including Reps. Ron Gillham (Kenai) and Sarah Vance (Homer) relates to COVID-19 immunization rights.
Carpenter explains HB 175:
“Basically, it says that local governments and state governments can’t require an individual to undergo medical vaccination against COVID-19. It also prohibits employers in the private sector from requiring an employee to be vaccinated as a condition of employment. It also provides the exceptions for an employee to not get vaccinated for religious reasons or for medical reasons. The reason that that is important is because the federal government has, and the courts, have backed this up. The federal government says that an employer does have a right to require a vaccination under certain circumstances. That’s what gives the OSHA mandate its leg to stand on is because the courts have backed that up, but I see that as a state’s rights issue. I think that local governments and local people really want to have control over whether they are vaccinated or not. This is an individual choice. I recognize, and I have received a little bit of push back from some businesses regarding HB 175, basically the businesses say, ‘I don’t want to be told what I can and can’t do by the government.’ I completely understand that as a business owner and as someone who hires other people, I understand that, but I am making a deliberate decision to side with the individual in this case.”
Carpenter says:
“Back in April of this year of 2021, I recognized that when the federal government finally got around to it, they would be figuring out a way to require vaccination. I was in discussion and talks with the governor and understood that he was not in favor of mandatory vaccinations, and I felt like it was necessary with all the different dynamics of federal programs and strings attached that the state would set a very clear message and a clear standard for what is required within the state.”
Click here for more information on HB 175.