The Republican leader of the Ohio Senate says they're going to hold several hearings on a House bill, HB218, that bans certain vaccine mandates and grants broad exemptions.
Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) says the anti-vaccine mandate bill could be the right vehicle to tackle COVID-19 vaccine policies, but he’s not committing to a floor vote yet.
Huffman adds there's hesitation to regulate businesses.
"I think the sweet spot is how is it that we can draft this to make sure that people aren't being forced to quit their jobs and at the same time, you know, the maximum amount of protection? And I think this bill gets the closest to that of any that I've seen," says Huffman.
Business groups and health care organizations are opposed to the bill, saying they're against regulations on private businesses and that the policy hurts efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.