HB278 Alabama 2021 Session

Under existing law, municipalities have the power to adopt and enforce ordinances to compel vaccinations in order to prevent the introduction or spread of contagious, infectious, or pestilential diseases

This bill would repeal existing law authorizing municipalities to adopt and enforce ordinances to compel vaccinations in order to prevent the introduction or spread of contagious, infectious, or pestilential diseases

This bill would provide that if a specific immunization is ever required by law, exemptions from the mandatory immunization shall be provided for individuals who oppose immunization based on religious beliefs or otherwise sincerely held personal beliefs, as well as for those with certain medical conditions

This bill would provide that if a person holding a power of attorney or acting as the next of kin for an elderly person housed in a nursing home or hospice, or holding a power of attorney or acting as a guardian or next of kin for a mentally or intellectually disabled individual, attests that the individual should not be immunized because of the caregiver's bona fide religious beliefs or otherwise sincerely held personal beliefs that are contrary to any required immunization, that individual shall be exempt from those requirements

This bill would prohibit an employer from taking adverse action against an employee based on the employee's immunization status

This bill would prohibit an occupational licensing board from denying, suspending, revoking, or refusing to renew or reinstate a license for the holder of, or applicant for, a license issued by that board because of the immunization status of that license holder or applicant

This bill would also prohibit a place of public accommodation or a facility operated or maintained by a government entity from refusing entry, where otherwise permitted, to an individual based on that individual's immunization status

Relating to health; to provide that if a specific immunization is ever required under law, exemptions from the mandatory immunization shall be provided for individuals who oppose immunization based on religious beliefs or otherwise sincerely held personal beliefs, as well as for those with certain medical conditions; to provide that individuals holding a power of attorney or acting as a next of kin or guardian of certain individuals may voice an objection to vaccination for the individual under their care; to prohibit employers from taking adverse action against employees based on immunization status; to prohibit occupational licensing boards from discriminating in certain ways against license holders or license applicants based on immunization status; to prohibit a place of public accommodation or a facility operated or maintained by a government entity from refusing entry, where otherwise permitted, to an individual based on that individual's immunization status; and to repeal Section 11-47-132, Code of Alabama 1975, which authorizes municipalities to adopt and enforce ordinances to compel vaccinations in order to prevent the introduction or spread of contagious, infectious, or pestilential diseases.