Photo Credit: State Representative Jason Zachary / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
During a House Civil Justice Committee meeting yesterday, Tennessee Republicans affirmed the rights of Tennessee’s healthcare workers to receive religious and medical exemptions in lieu of taking COVID-19 vaccinations.
Representative Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville-District 14) who is the sponsor of House Bill 1867 said the bill is a collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Health, Governor Bill Lee’s office, Speaker Cameron Sexton’s office and the Tennessee Hospital Association.
The bill, as currently amended, will only be applicable if there is an active CMS mandate and states that medical and religious exemptions must be granted. Representative Zachary has been collecting stories from healthcare workers in Tennessee who have had religious or medical exemptions denied.
The Tennessee Conservative reported last year that some Tennessee Hospitals have indeed denied religious exemptions submitted by nurses in good faith. Zachary’s bill would require that all exemptions be accepted. Medical exemptions would need a letter from a doctor. Religious exemptions would require a written statement from the healthcare worker.
In response to questions from Representative Mike Stewart (D-Nashville-District 52) Zachary stated that the CDC has said that COVID-19 vaccines do “nothing to stop transmission” and that “natural immunity is six times stronger” than being vaccinated.
Zachary said it was important to point out that Tennessee’s constitution specifically mentions a right of conscience and personal liberty and that voting for this bill is to stand with healthcare workers, some of whom have sincerely held beliefs that receiving COVID-19 vaccines is wrong.
One example Zachary gave is that as a Christian, one could be morally compelled to avoid COVID-19 vaccines because they are manufactured or tested using aborted fetal cell lines.
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Representative Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville-District 45) thanked Zachary for the bill saying, “If I could vote for it twice, I would vote for it twice.” He lamented the situation healthcare workers have been put in, having to choose between getting vaccinated or losing their jobs. He said, “In Tennessee we do not stand for that.”
Representative Robin Smith (R-Hixson-District 26) said she would be supporting the bill but called on the Attorney General to “officially opine” on the “constitutional conflict we’re having to legislate around.”
Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Nashville-District 75) made remarks in support of the bill and also about COVID-19 vaccines, saying that we don’t “fully know the cost versus benefit” of the vaccines. He pointed out that the FDA took only 108 days to review all of the clinical trial data before approving vaccines for emergency medical use and yet when “a number of renowned epidemiologists and doctors” sought to independently review the same data they were “stonewalled” and told it would take 55 years to release all of the data.
Griffey shared anecdotally that “a major CEO of a major life insurance company” had reported a 40% increase in non-covid deaths among 18-65 year olds in the third quarter of 2021. “That should scare the… you know what out of everyone,” he said.
The bill was put to a voice vote where the Ayes prevailed and the bill now moves to the House Commerce Committee, scheduled to be reviewed on February 15th.
The companion Senate Bill (SB1823) has been placed on the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee and is also scheduled to be reviewed on February 15th.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
