JEFFERSON CITY — The House on Monday approved legislation that would allow an employee to sue their employer if the worker suffers an injury due to a vaccine they received as a condition of employment.
The lower chamber advanced the “Required Immunization Liability Act” on an 84-58 vote, two more votes than what is required to pass the House.
With fewer than three weeks remaining in the legislative session, the measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.
More than a dozen Republicans broke with their party to oppose the bill. Two of the GOP opponents argued the legislation ran contrary to efforts to improve the state’s business climate.
“Conservative Republicans have supported tort reform, but it seems like we decided to go in the opposite direction here,” said Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters.
“I’ve consistently stood up for businesses in the state of Missouri,” said Rep. Bruce DeGroot, R-Chesterfield.
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“It certainly doesn’t say ‘Missouri is open for business,’” Christofanelli said. “It says the Legislature is now contriving new ways for you to be sued.”
Democrats led the opposition.
“Workers’ compensation already provides for bodily injury claims by a disease,” said Rep. Steve Butz, D-St. Louis. “The bill is unnecessary.”
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Mitch Boggs, R-LaRussell, applies to damages caused by any immunization — not just the COVID-19 vaccines.
“If the vaccines are 100% sound, then there’s nothing to worry about,” Boggs said. “There’ll be no court battles.”
The one-page bill allows businesses to purchase insurance that would cover them “from any liability arising from a required immunization.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says severe reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are rare but do occur.
Anaphylaxis, or severe allergic reaction, had occurred in about five cases out of every 1 million doses administered. The CDC said such a reaction can occur after any vaccination.
Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, has also been documented in patients who received the COVID-19 shot.
A study published by the CDC this month found males and females had a higher risk of heart conditions such as myocarditis from COVID-19 infection than from a COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC also said it had “identified nine deaths causally associated with J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccination.”
Nearly 573 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the United States as of Monday, according to the CDC.
“It is extremely disappointing to see this job-killing legislation advancing. This is government overreach. This is anti-business. This legislation hurts our economy and endangers our legal climate,” Dan Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said after the House gave the plan initial approval last week.
Posted at 7:45 p.m. Monday, April 25.