Bill would prohibit mandatory COVID-19 vaccine

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is being asked to consider legislation that would prohibit the state from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine, a bill that includes language addressing employment.

Lawmakers overwhelmingly passed H.B. 1547, which would make it illegal to “coerce” an individual into getting vaccinated against coronavirus. Only one state senator and one representative voted against the bill.

The bill defines one instance of coercion to include “conditional … private or public benefit, including without limitation employment, promotion, or another employment benefit, with the purpose of causing a reasonable individual of ordinary susceptibilities to acquiesce when the individual otherwise would not.”

However, the bill states that “other positive incentives that are above or beyond any expected compensation or benefit of employment shall not be included under the term ‘coerce.’”

More insurance and workers compensation news on the coronavirus crisis here.