Statewide Iowa — Republican legislative leaders and Governor Kim Reynolds say the state should wait for a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on federal Covid-19 vaccination mandates before considering state action on the issue.
The governor, though, predicts the Supreme Court will rule quickly on whether businesses with 100 or more employees will have to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested regularly for COVID.
Some GOP legislators are proposing a statewide ban on COVID-19 mandates in the workplace. Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley says the legislature took strong action last fall by extending unemployment benefits to Iowans denied religious or medical exemptions from COVID vaccination requirements at their workplace.
House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst says raising Iowa’s vaccination rate will reduce absences in the workplace.
Federal COVID vaccination mandates for health care workers and government contractors are also on hold due to court challenges. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld state vaccine mandates, but has not yet ruled on any issued by the Biden Administration.
