A passionate and lengthy public hearing on a proposed bill to prohibit vaccine discrimination in Alaska received overwhelming support from those who called in to testify before the Senate State Affairs Committee on Feb. 8.

Introduced by Sen. Lora Reinbold (R-Eagle River), Senate Bill 156 affirms that Alaskans have a right to decline Covid shots without suffering from various forms of discrimination.

For two hours Alaskans spoke before legislators about being denied medical treatment or entrance to public buildings for refusing the experimental shots. Others shared stories of losing their livelihoods due to Covid mandates.

Participants noted increased breakthrough rates among those deemed “fully vaccinated,” as well as vaccine related deaths and adverse reactions to the vaccine.

Several people highlighted the fact that natural immunity is increasingly documented as a viable means of protections against Covid.

“I believe this bill is keeping with our country’s principles of anti-discrimination and progress,” one man stated.

“We shouldn’t discriminate between those who choose to be a part of a science experiment and those who do not,” said Eagle River resident Lisa Gentemann. “Alaskans have the right to rely on natural immunity.”

Many argued that vaccination should only ever be a personal choice.

“I believe this bill is keeping with our country’s principles of anti-discrimination and progress,” one man stated.

Several participants urged lawmakers to pass the bill out of committee so that Alaskans can clearly see where their elected representatives stand on vaccine freedoms.

The bill explicitly prohibits state agencies or political subdivisions from adopting any policy that “requires an individual to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order for the individual to exercise a right or receive a benefit that is available to the public.”

Additionally, the bill bans the state from requiring Alaskans to produce documentation of a Covid injection or to produce a Covid immunity passport in order to travel within the state.

The bill also prohibits individuals or governmental entities from denying employment, public accommodations or any local or state services, goods, facilities, advantages, privileges, licensing, educational opportunities, health care access, or employment opportunities based on the individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status.

Finally, the bill affirms that individuals may object to Covid shots based on religious, medical or other grounds, and parents can object to Covid jabs for their children based on the same criteria.

“A person may not require an individual to provide justification or documentation to support the individual’s decision to decline a COVID-19 vaccine or to decline a COVID-19 vaccine for a minor child,” the bill clarifies.

The bill was held in the Senate State Affairs Committee, where Reinbold said she expects it to undergo amendments before passing onto the Senate Health and Social Services Committee, chaired by Sen. David Wilson.

TAKING ACTION

Email and phone messages can be sent to the following Senate State Affairs Committee members:

— Senate State Affairs Committee: Senate.State.Affairs@akleg.gov 

— Senator Mike Shower (Chairman):  Senator.Mike.Shower@akleg.gov – Phone: 907-465-6600

— Senator Lora Reinbold    Senator.Lora.Reinbold@akleg.gov – Phone: 907-465-3822

— Senator Mia Costello   Senator.Mia.Costello@akleg.gov – Phone: 907-465-4968

— Senator Roger Holland   Senator.Roger.Holland@akleg.gov – Phone: 907-465-4843

— Senator Scott Kawasaki   Senator.Scott.Kawasaki@akleg.gov – Phone: 907-465-3466

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