OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A bunch of Republican Home members in the present day despatched a letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt requesting govt motion to ban vaccine mandates for Oklahoma healthcare employees.
“This situation requires the speedy consideration of our state authorities,” stated Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy, creator of the letter. “These staff are the heroes that stood on the entrance line of the pandemic caring for those who had fallen in poor health to COVID-19. The quickest and best approach to shield these employees is an govt order prohibiting these mandates.”
The next lawmakers signed on to the letter:
- Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy
- Rep. Lonnie Sims, R-Jenks
- Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami
- Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont
- Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene
- Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane
- Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland
- Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso
- Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore
- Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener
- Rep. David Smith, R-Arpelar
- Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola
- Rep. Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville
- Rep. Chris Sneed, R-Fort Gibson
- Rep. Randy Randleman, R-Eufaula
- Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Damaged Arrow
- Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell
- Rep. Sherri Conley, R-Newcastle
- Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany
- Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole
The complete textual content of the letter will be seen beneath:
Oklahoma Home of Representatives
July 15, 2023
Governor J. Kevin Stitt,
As I’m certain you might be conscious there are a lot of healthcare amenities throughout the state which have determined to mandate the COVID-19 vaccines to their 1000’s of staff. These staff are the heroes that stood on the entrance line of the pandemic caring for those who had fallen in poor health to COVID-19.
Many Oklahomans are about to have their paychecks used towards them to make a medical choice that goes towards their beliefs. Healthcare employees are left to decide on between taking a vaccine approved for emergency use or threat shedding their job, this goes towards “liberty and justice for all”. If we don’t shield the person’s proper to decide on what goes of their physique, we now not stay in a free society.
The Oklahoma legislature had payments launched final session that had been associated to those sort of vaccine mandates, however none of those payments got here to be legislation. Another states within the nation have taken motion on these points whereas others already had legal guidelines on the e-book to guard their healthcare employees. For instance in Oregon, staff akin to well being care suppliers, well being care facility staff, scientific lab staff, legislation enforcement, and firefighters are protected by a 1989 state legislation that claims “A employee shall not be required as a situation of labor to be immunized” except in any other case required by federal or state legislation.
After speaking with healthcare employees and residents throughout the state a lot of my colleagues and I’ve come to the conclusion this is a matter that requires the speedy consideration of our State Authorities. The quickest and best approach to shield these employees is an govt order prohibiting these mandates.
These signed onto this letter and I respectfully request you draft an govt order to cope with this situation. If you happen to deem this to be a difficulty the legislature must deal with, we respectfully request you name the legislature into particular session to finish medical tyranny and assist us safe and shield our most elementary human rights and civil liberties.
Final week, Mercy introduced that staff will probably be required to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine, efficient Sept. 30.
Two weeks in the past, SSM Well being introduced that it’s going to require its practically 40,000 staff, suppliers, and volunteers to be absolutely vaccinated by the top of September.
Mercy and SSM Well being be a part of greater than 20 different well being care organizations throughout america in requiring vaccines for workers.
