Idaho lawmakers want to criminalize mRNA vaccines. Here's what happens if their bill passes
Political
polarization in the United States has created bitter divides over all kinds of
public health measures — ranging from
abortion rights to
COVID-19 protections. Yet in Idaho, a deep-red state in which Donald Trump carried 63.8% of the popular vote in the 2020 election, Republican legislators are taking their conspiratorial beliefs regarding COVID-19 a step further by attempting to criminalize mRNA vaccines.
Indeed, last week two Republican lawmakers in Idaho introduced
House Bill 154 proposing that "providing" or "administering" mRNA vaccines should be criminalized. Specifically, doing so would be a misdemeanor.
"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may not provide or administer a vaccine developed using messenger ribonucleic acid technology for use in an individual or any other mammal in this state," the bill states. "A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor." In other words, doing so could result in jail time and/or a fine.
If passed, the bill proposes that the law should go into effect this summer on July 1, 2023.
Idaho isn't the only state to propose unscientific anti-vaccination legislation. By October 2022, nearly 80 anti-vaccine legislations had been
introduced to state lawmakers. Under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida was the only state to not not pre-order COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 5 over the summer. Currently, in North Dakota, state legislators are considering various anti-vaccination bills, including one that would ban colleges and universities from requiring or promoting COVID-19 shots.
Anti-vax Republicans lawmakers in Idaho are taking a page from abortion bans — and public health experts are worried for the state
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