The House Governmental Affairs Committee rejects a Senate-approved bill that would prohibit state facilities from denying entry to individuals who are not vaccinated against COVID-19. Harvey Representative Rodney Lyons said the legislature should not prevent a public building like the State Capitol from only allowing vaccinated persons inside.
“So we can have the right not only to maintain the quality of what we’re doing here. Why would we want to stop and circumvent that,” Lyons said.
Monroe Senator Stewart Cathey’s bill died on a seven to six vote. Cathey said he’s trying to protect individuals who have made the personal decision not to get the vaccine.
“You can’t go watch LSU play football in the fall or we can go watch our best friends’ children graduate from junior high in the spring because we don’t have a covid vaccine while it’s in an emergency use authorization. I just think that’s wrong,” Cathey said.
Cathey admitted to the committee he has not received the vaccine over concerns the shot will impact the ability for him and his girlfriend to have a child.
“I’m trying to protect the rights of those who cannot be vaccinated and have the ability to go into a hospital, to go to a football game, to go to a school, and not denied access simply because maybe they couldn’t get vaccinated,” Cathey said.
Health officials have said there is no evidence that any vaccine affects fertility.
Jennifer Herricks of Mandeville testified for the bill. She’s concerned about her children getting the virus and would like to send them to a school where everyone is vaccinated
“My children deserve the right to go to a school where I don’t have to worry about infectious communicable diseases,” Herricks said.
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