DeWine says he'll 'absolutely' veto bill that would ban businesses from requiring COVID vaccines

The Senate is considering a Republican-backed bill that would ban public and private businesses and schools from setting up their own COVID vaccine requirements, or requiring proof of vaccination.

The bill came up suddenly after Republican Speaker Bob Cupp (R-Lima) has said he wanted to "move on" from vaccine bills, and has strong business and health group opposition. And Gov. Mike DeWine has some thoughts on it too.

In a year-end interview with the Statehouse News Bureau for "The State of Ohio", DeWine didn’t hesitate when asked if he’d veto the bill, which would prohibit public and private entities from requiring vaccines that don't have full FDA approval - which is targeted at two of the three COVID vaccines in use in the U.S.

“Oh, absolutely. I've made it very clear I don't hesitate to veto things when I think they're wrong. I have respect for the Legislature, but my I also have a job and that job is to veto things that that are bad," DeWine said.

DeWine said government shouldn’t tell businesses how to run their operations, and that he’s also opposed the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate on employers of over 100 workers that’s now in the courts. Ohio is among the states suing over that rule, and also a rule on federal contractors and on a requirement by Medicaid and Medicare for health care workers.

Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) has publicly agreed with DeWine’s position.

The bill passed the House last month 58-32 with only Republican support. That's not a veto-proof majority.

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