January 7, 2022
In anticipation of Colorado’s State Assembly session commencing next week, Rep. Kim Ransom (R-Lone Tree) announced to state Senate Minority leader Chris Holbert (R-Parker) on talk radio Monday that she will introduce a recycled version of her bill from last year’s legislative session which would ban discrimination based on vaccine status.
Last year’s House Bill 21-1191, titled “Prohibit Discrimination COVID-19 Vaccine Status: Concerning the prohibition against discrimination based on the refusal to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine, was postponed indefinitely –or “killed”– late in the session by the House Health & Insurance Committee on a party-line vote.
Ransom says she will introduce a similar bill this session, with some changes in the statute language.
Democrats will control the majority in the House and committees — as they did in last year’s session — prompting questions as to whether the bill can succeed without substantial changes to appease Democratic concerns.
Ransom’s bill from the 2021 legislative session proposed sanctions against employers who would punish applicants or employees for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, to include licensed health facilities. It extended the protections against discrimination clients and patrons of government agencies, private businesses, and health insurers.
Read more at Colorado Times Recorder.