The Wyoming Senate has made a major change to a bill that was intended to provide guidelines for employers who want COVID-19 vaccinations and employees who want other alternatives.
The Senate adopted an amendment by Cheyenne Sen. Lynn Hutchings that stripped out most of the language in the bill. Hutchings told the Senate that her intent is to not allow vaccine mandates but allow businesses to implement testing and other preventive measures, until the issue is sorted out by the courts.
“If we allow employers to force a drug upon employees without knowing the immediate or future health implications we are making the employee no better than a slave. This mandate will have a domino effect that we will never recover from,” said Hutchings.
Conservative members of the Senate have complained that too much attention was being paid to the business community and not citizens. Torrington Sen. Cheri Steinmetz said people want the legislature to protect them.
“Are we going to draw a line in the sand or not? Are we actually going to stand up and do something or not? Are we all going to stand on the same side...the state of Wyoming, employers and employees, and demand state sovereignty and that they respect our rights?” asked Steinmetz.
She called it a defining moment. Majority Floor Leader Ogden Driskill said he’s concerned that the state could get in the cross-hairs of the federal government which could lead to harm for businesses and the state. The bill will be debated for a final time on Wednesday.
