S.C. Lawmakers Propose Bill to Dilute Federal Vaccine Mandate

Over 40 S.C. House Republicans, mostly from the Upstate, announced plans last week to introduce a bill intended to dilute the federal vaccine mandate.

The legislation, dubbed the “Vaccination Rights Act,” would ban employers and public accommodation settings from requiring proof of vaccination and would stop the emergency use of authorized vaccines from being mandated, which includes the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. 
 
The bill would not extend to those employed by the military because they work in a federal setting. Any private school and daycares would also be exempt from the bill since private employers are permitted to refuse entry and deny religious exemptions. 
 
Also last week, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that he is planning to file a lawsuit over the Biden Administration's vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. The lawsuit would target the federal rules directed at hospital workers. 
 
This lawsuit comes on the heels of last week’s OHSA vaccine mandate guidelines. This new lawsuit is in addition to Governor McMaster’s executive order barring state cabinet agencies from complying with the mandate. 
 
The mandate is currently in flux after the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals halted the requirements pending further review. The White House has encouraged businesses to continue preparing for the new mandate despite the court-ordered pause.