Rep. Clay Higgins Introduces Bill to Prevent Businesses from Requiring Vaccines

Louisiana Representative Clay Higgins has announced that he is introducing a bill that will prevent businesses from requiring their employees to undergo medical procedures.

According to a story from KATC TV3, the congressman, who is currently recuperating from a bout with COVID-19, says he is trying to prevent businesses from requiring employees to have any medical procedure done, including vaccinations.

In the story, Congressman Higgins is quoted as saying "This bill is about individual rights. I support individual freedoms, and I certainly stand against oppression."

The congressman says that employees who want to get vaccinated should, but those who have "firmly held beliefs" should be exempt, under his bill.

Congressman Higgins goes on to say, "Neither government nor private employers have the right to mandate medical procedures."

Comments on the Tweet by KATC bring up some valid points about the proposed legislation introduced by Congressman Higgins. Miguel presents a possible issue with interfering with the rights of a business to require medical "procedures":

Drug testing, vision testing, flight physicals for pilots - there are a host of medical "procedures" that Twitter users are presenting that may have to be exempt from this legislation. I can also recall family members (myself included) having to present my vaccination records to get hired or to maintain their certification to employment.

Other comments questioned why someone who says that government shouldn't be able to mandate things is going to try to tell businesses how to operate:

The story mentioned that the bill was announced soon after President Biden said that some federal employees will soon have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or be tested weekly.

The coronavirus infection rate in Louisiana is on the rise, alarming health care experts and prompting Governor Edwards to consider another mask mandate.