Gov. Mike DeWine said he’s still weighing his options on what to do with a bill that includes a provision that bans public schools and colleges from requiring employees and students get COVID vaccines.
DeWine has been a strong supporter of COVID vaccines, but has always said he won’t mandate them.
DeWine said he’s been talking to state universities about whether they want to require COVID vaccines, which are still being used with emergency approval. It’s unknown when the FDA will grant full approval, the governor said.
“This issue was brought up in a conversation between the governors and the FDA officials with no real answer. So we’re still looking at this," DeWine said.
Some of DeWine’s fellow Republicans have proposed a bill that would ban all mandatory vaccines. DeWine has suggested that he opposes the mandatory vaccine ban, which brought controversial and false testimony from people claiming that the COVID vaccine "magnetizes" those who receive it. Business groups have also opposed the measure.
This provision on COVID shots comes from a bill proposed in May, which also bans businesses from offering incentives to vaccinated customers. It was added by Republicans to a bill on military kids and school enrollment. DeWine suggested he wasn’t surprised by it.
“I would not say I was blindsided," DeWine said, chuckling.
DeWine has 10 days from receiving this bill on June 28 to sign it, veto it or let it become law without his signature.
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