Join CRA TODAY!
There is no “US” Without You!
Thank you for visiting us here at the online headquarters for THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY.
If you find value in the work we are doing to help fight for conservative values here in the Golden State, PLEASE BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!
(LA TIMES) – California would require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under a bill introduced Friday by a group of Democratic lawmakers pushing for stricter inoculation laws in the state.
Assembly Bill 1993 by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) would require employees and independent contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment unless they have an exemption based on a medical condition, disability or religious beliefs.
“Keeping our communities safe is our top charge as elected officials,” Wicks said. “And we know that none of us want to go back to closing down schools or closing down businesses … We know if we’re vaccinated, we can combat this.”
Under the bill, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health would work with the state’s public health department on guidance for employers on what would constitute a valid exemption. Businesses would face a penalty for failing to comply, although the amount has yet to be determined, Wicks said. Employers would have to notify the state that all workers are vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 1, 2023.
John Arensmeyer, chief operating officer for the advocacy group Small Business Majority, said one uniform vaccine law would make it easier than piecemeal requirements that depend on where a person works.
“Small businesses don’t want to be traffic cops in debates about public safety,” Arensmeyer said. “They’re looking for a common statewide standard that disentangles them from politics and enables them to operate their businesses safely and predictably.”
