State Legislators Seem Poised To Extend Protections From Covid Mandates, But There Is A Catch. (Gary Humble Op-Ed)
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov & Arne Müseler / CC
By Gary Humble [Special to The Tennessee Conservative] –
Bills have begun to be filed for the upcoming legislative session here in Tennessee due to commence on January 11, 2023, which will begin our 113th General Assembly.
One of the first, SB 2 (Sen. Jack Johnson) and HB 2 (Rep. Jason Zachary) will remove the termination date on protections from COVID mandates, currently set to expire on July 1, 2023.
Many Tennesseans may not realize that current laws restricting employers from mandating the shot as a condition of employment and restricting schools from requiring masks are due to sunset. Your legislature passed laws to secure your liberties, with an expiration date. Go figure.
The passage of SB 2 and HB 2 would make these protections permanent. And that is a good thing. However, there is a catch.
With the passage of Title 14 in the Special Session of October 2021, the legislature did more than protect employees. They also protected themselves.
Limitations were placed on liability for the state, state employees, and agents of the state related to COVID-19. Meaning, individuals suffering damages, injury, or death related to COVID-19 would have to prove willful, malicious, criminal action or gross negligence on the part of the state by clear and convincing evidence to have a claim against the state of Tennessee. Otherwise, the state and its agents are covered from any wrongdoing by its sovereign immunity. No harm, no foul. Or rather, harm done, still no foul.
These limitations on liability were set to expire on July 1, 2023. Passage of these bills will remove this termination date and continue to impose these restrictions on liability. Why is that at all, interesting?
You’ve seen the videos, right? Now in more frequent occurrences, otherwise healthy individuals, many who are top tier athletes, are just dropping dead. It is happening so often now that we’ve named this new phenomenon S.A.D.S. (Sudden Adult Death Syndrome).
As of November 4, 2022, VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) hosted by the CDC, now reports 31,961 deaths and 1,458,322 adverse events directly related to vaccines (mRNA gene therapy injections) for COVID-19. And yet, we persist.
It is worth noting that in 2009, a vaccine developed to combat the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) was taken off the market due to only 35 adverse events (not deaths) being reported. How is that for a comparison?
I find it incredibly interesting that in light of where we now find ourselves with the deaths and adverse events mounting from this shot, that the state legislature would run a bill permanently extending its own protections from liability for any actions it may have taken related to COVID-19. But honestly, you can’t blame them.
Sen. Jack Johnson who is the sponsor for SB 2 (extending these liability protections), also signed an official statement from the Tennessee State Senate on July 27, 2021, publicly shaming Tennesseans into being vaccinated for COVID-19. Here are a few quotes from that letter:
“A strong majority of these cases are among those who are not vaccinated.”
“As people across our state are exposed to the spread of this deadly virus, we strongly urge Tennesseans who do not have a religious objection or a legitimate medical issue to get vaccinated.”
“The vaccines have been found to be safe and effective against COVID-19.”
“Please compare the very rare instances of side effects with the more than 600,000 deaths in the U.S. which have occurred due to COVID-19. The facts are clear — the benefits of the vaccines far outweigh the risks.”
“The COVID-19 vaccines save lives. Again, we strongly urge all Tennesseans to study the facts, talk to your doctor and get vaccinated.”
Considering the statements made in this letter and the facts we now know about Fauci and these shots, if I were Jack, I would want my sovereign immunity too.
Gary Humble is the founder and executive director of Tennessee Stands, an organization working to secure liberty and hold elected officials accountable to the Constitution through legislation, litigation, and education. Follow Gary @garyhumble and visit www.tennesseestands.org.
It seems many of our leaders simply follow the crowd. If popular opinion leans one way, they will whole heartedly lean in that direction until public sentiment changes, then they lean the other. They seem to be more weather vanes then leaders.
Sad that they pushed for vax when it was the popular narrative, did not stand up for Tennesseans or for freedom until pressured into action by the voting grassroots base.
So telling how close Sen. Johnson came to loosing his reelection – highly unusual for a long time office holder to have to fight as hard as he did to win.
Voter’s hopes are that he will now move to the right and stand for Tennesseans’ freedoms!
Thank you to all you helped push Sen. Johnson to the right on these issues.
While I agree with most of your article, I think you are stretching to make the case that allowing sovereign immunity from legal action related to the vaccine is a CYA act. The letter, while urging people to get the shot, clearly states that it is a personal decision and not a mandated requirement. Also, Sen. Jonson was only one of eight co-signers. Sovereign immunity is legal concept that goes back to English common law and, since no state mandate was ever passed, I find it hard to see where there would be any justifiable basis for the state to be sued.
IMHO, anyone taking any part in the coercion has ZERO business of EVER being in position to repeat their CRIMINAL actions.
We have a PLAGUE of insufficient repercussions for evil acts.
The thing is, who’s fault is it really for people that took the death jab? I mean, did anybody force anyone to really take it? I chose not to take it, for I researched the data on the vaccine, the lack of proper trials, and I said, “no way”. I was persecuted for it, even lost my job over it, and I still chose to keep my body safe from something that was untested. If you chose to take it over pressure, that’s your choice, not the governments. If you chose to take it because you didn’t do your research and just trusted the word of politicians and doctors, that was your choice. Life is all about choices, I made mine to not do it, other made theirs to do it. With that, all choices have consequences, both good and bad. I still stand by mine.
👍Ditto
Ditto!
I am finding a great many politicians in TN make very poor decisions when it comes to liberty and justice.
Those shots are part of a grand plan to sterilize the planet. Doctors in South Africa were saying do not get that shot in 2019. In Australia the birth rate has dropped 74%.
These people need to be properly vetted and term limits have to be brought in. They lose respect for the voters when they are there forever.
Please continue to keep us informed and thank you. No mandates should be forced on the will of the people. We are free people and our lawmakers job is to keep us informed and free.
“individuals suffering damages, injury, or death related to COVID-19 would have to prove willful, malicious, criminal action or gross negligence on the part of the state by clear and convincing evidence to have a claim against the state of Tennessee”.
IT HAS NOW BEEN PROVEN THAT PFIZER LIED AND SUBMITTED INACCURATE REPORTS.
There were many other professional Medical people who advised not to take the vaccine,
So why did Tennessee go along with the CDC and try to censor all who opposed,
Most likely the same reason the “COVID LIE” was started, “MONEY”.