Committee advances bill to bar state agencies from imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, with narrow exception process

House Bill 14-65, presented by State Representative Robin Lundstrom, would prohibit state agencies and state employees from being subject to a state-mandated COVID-19 vaccine requirement. The bill includes an exemption process by which an agency could request a waiver from the public health committee if a need arises for a mandate.

Matt Gilmore of the Department of Health testified he and his agency had discussed wording with the sponsor and appreciated some changes, but he expressed concerns. Gilmore said the bill's broad prohibition could impede institutions such as hospitals, higher-education entities or other agencies from quickly implementing targeted mandates in response to outbreaks and that the bill's two-year language could be problematic given the evolving vaccine landscape. He also flagged operational concerns about requirements in the bill that would ask the Department to collect and post vaccine safety or efficacy data in ways the department does not typically perform.

Representative Lundstrom closed by describing the bill as codifying the governor's previously stated policy to not require vaccinations of state employees while preserving narrow escape hatches for urgent public-health responses. The committee moved, seconded and approved the bill by voice vote; the transcript records no roll-call tally.