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Effort that could lead to a possible ballot issue on vaccine mandates hits a snag

Supporters of controversial vaccine bill protest at the Ohio Statehouse
Jo Ingles
/
Statehouse News Bureau
Supporters of controversial vaccine bill protest at the Ohio Statehouse

But backers of the plan say they aren't giving up.

Ohio’s Attorney General has rejected the petition summary that was submitted by people who want to require state lawmakers, or possibly voters, to end vaccine mandates.

Republican Attorney General Dave Yost says the problem is the summary for the petition being circulated to get signatures. Yost says it isn’t a fair and truthful representation because it fails to identify some terms, lacks some information, and doesn’t fully explain exceptions, so signers do not have adequate information about the statute’s character and limitations.

Backers of the petition say they aren’t taking no for an answer. One of them, Stephanie Stock with the group, Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom, says the petition will be amended and resubmitted for approval. She says Ohioans deserve medical freedom and her group will take it to the ballot if the legislature won’t pass the initiated statute. Ohio lawmakers have 4 months to pass the bill and if they don't, backers can collect more signatures to put the issue on the November 2022 statewide ballot.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.