Republican Governor Vetoes Legislation Prohibiting Vaccine Mandates

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Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, has vetoed legislation prohibiting medical mandates across the state.

BREAKING: State Lawmakers Pass “Medical Freedom Act” – Prohibits Mandates Based On Proof Of “Medical Intervention”

Senate Bill 1023, called the “Idaho Medical Freedom Act,” prevents businesses and local governments from requiring any proof of “medical intervention.”

The bill also applies to public and private schools.

The legislation amends an existing law, written to ban COVID-19 jab mandates, to include any medical treatment.

“Medical freedom is an Idaho value,” Little wrote in his veto message, according to KTVB.

“However, this bill removes parents’ freedom to ensure their children stay healthy at school because it jeopardizes the ability of schools to send home sick students with highly contagious conditions,” he added.

“So @GovernorLittle vetoed the medical freedom bill barring vaccine and mask mandates almost anywhere in the state. Sadly, par for the course because he was the biggest offender during covid. We hoped that he learned his lesson but bad habits die hard. We need to override the veto on S.1023,” The Blaze Senior Editor Daniel Horowitz commented.

Per KTVB:

The governor specifically noted concerns about schools’ authority to address illnesses such as “measles, lice, ringworm, pink eye, strep throat, stomach viruses, the flu, and other illnesses that disrupt families’ lives.”

The legislation would have prohibited schools from requiring medical intervention for attendance or employment. It would also have prevented businesses and government entities from imposing medical mandates as a condition of service or employment.

Little defended his record on medical freedom issues, highlighting several bills he has signed, including legislation banning mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

“We are proud that Idaho already boasts the freest laws in the country when it comes to personal medical decisions, and we need to keep it that way,” Little wrote.

The bill was delivered to the governor on March 24 and vetoed five days later. Lawmakers could attempt to override the veto next week.

A closer look:

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From the Idaho Statesman:

This was Little’s first veto of the legislative session, and the Idaho Legislature could choose to vote on the bill again to try to override the veto. But the Senate in February approved the bill in a 19-14 vote, less than the two-thirds support it would need for the bill to become law by overriding Little.

Senate Republican leaders didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Health Freedom Defense Fund Founder Leslie Manookian, who one lawmaker had described as the “real architect” of the bill, told legislators at a committee meeting that the bill was “protecting our God-given rights to decide what’s best for ourselves.”

But some lawmakers had doubts.

Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, previously said the changes would be too far-reaching by going from COVID-19 vaccines to every medical intervention.

“This is a bridge too far that I cannot get over,” McCann said. “It is too broad.”

House lawmakers passed the bill with more than two-thirds support.

House Speaker Mike Moyle said that hopefully the Legislature could either send Little another bill addressing his concerns or just override the veto.

“I don’t know if the Senate has the votes to override that bill, I haven’t heard yet,” Moyle told the Statesman. “Maybe there’s an easy way to fix (the bill.)”



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