NH: Bill would exempt 'conscientious objectors' from vaccines

A House Republican leader said Thursday all New Hampshire workers should be able to claim conscientious objector status to decline any immunization required as a condition of employment.

But leaders in health care, higher education and some government groups warned such an open-ended exemption for vaccines could cost companies or taxpayers millions in grants for being out of compliance with federal vaccine mandates.

State Rep. Timothy Lang, R-Sanbornton, said it's in keeping with New Hampshire's libertarian nature to allow anyone to refuse to be vaccinated.

"I think this is a common-sense bill. It respects individual rights and it respects business rights," said Lang, who chairs the House Fish and Game Committee and served on Gov. Chris Sununu's Reopening Task Force during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lang said his bill (HB 1210) would allow any company to make a "reasonable accommodation" for any unvaccinated worker.

If the employee refused to accept the terms of that offer, Lang said, the employer could fire that person.

Rep. Leonard Turcotte, R-Barrington, said as an airline pilot he had come under the Biden vaccine mandate for all firms with more than 100 employees until the U.S. Supreme Court blocked it earlier this month.

Until that decision, the unvaccinated Turcotte said he had been at risk of losing his job, but he questioned whether he could support Lang's proposal.

"We do not like to get between the employer-employee relationship," Turcotte said.

Lang answered, "If COVID-19 had not happened, I would not have presented this bill."

Business and Industry Association Senior Vice President David Juvet said many of its members have to comply with the Biden vaccine mandates that have been upheld in court for health care workers and federal contractors.

"My major concern was those employers under the federal mandate could be in a tough position if this law prohibits them from complying with the federal mandate," Juvet said.

.https://news.yahoo.com/bill-exempt-conscientious-objectors-vaccines-100600934.html

NH: Bill would exempt 'conscientious objectors' from vaccines

NH: Bill would exempt 'conscientious objectors' from vaccines

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