"State Rep. Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) today introduced the Vaccine Choice & Anti-Discrimination Act, legislation that protects individuals who choose not to be vaccinated from discrimination due to vaccine status."

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"As a nurse practitioner, Gross noted she is pro-vaccine and values the progress that the medical field has made in enhancing the health and well-being of humanity."

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"According to the Ohio Department of Health, over three million people have received the COVID-19 vaccine thus far."

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"'There are eleven and a half million people in Ohio,' said Gross. 'Many people across the state may be likely to decline vaccines like the COVID-19 vaccine for conscientious, religious, or medical reasons. Without the exemption provisions this bill provides, the notion of a vaccine passport could easily lead to a class system in Ohio where segregation and discrimination will proliferate.'"

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Read more of Rep. Jennifer Gross' April 6, 2021 Press Release 📄

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​Read the Amended Bill that Rep. Gross Introduced at the first Committee Hearing on 5/18/21. 📄

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​Read Rep. Gross' Sponsor Testimony from the Committee Hearing on 5/18/21. 📄

To enact section 3792.02 of the Revised Code to authorize an individual to decline a vaccination and to name this act the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act.

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Representative Gross, the sponsor of HB248, recognized that the original HB248 legislative proposal didn't go far enough to preserve Ohioan's liberties. As such, she introduced the following amended bill language at the first Health Committee hearing on 5/18/2021:

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1. Rescind Exiting Code - Rescind current Ohio code that asks universities to collect vaccine status information from college students as a prerequisite of admission. (line 275 of the bill)

2. Protect Vaccine Choice - Prohibit a person, public official or employee, public agency, state agency, political subdivision, school, child day-care center, nursing home, residential care facility, health care provider, insurer, institution, or employer from requiring any vaccine (line 75 of the bill).

3. Protect Privacy - Prohibit a person, public official or employee, public agency, state agency, political subdivision, school, child day-care center, nursing home, residential care facility, health care provider, insurer, institution, or employer from requesting any vaccination status. (line 112 of the bill). The bill also prohibits the disclosure of a person's vaccine status (line 118 and 130 of the bill).

4. Prohibit Vaccine "Passport"/Registry/etc - Prohibit a person, public official or employee, public agency, state agency, political subdivision, school, child day-care center, nursing home, residential care facility, health care provider, insurer, institution, or employer from requesting any vaccination status.  (line 114 of the bill)

5. Provide Transparency & Reinforce that Schools must Honor Exemptions - While the language of the bill permits the existing school mandates and exemptions already within Ohio code to remain law, this bill would require when a school or childcare provider - public or private - notifies parents of existing school mandates, they must also notify parents of applicable law that provides exemptions (line 83 and 93 of the bill), and they must honor those exemptions (line 90 and 100 of the bill). The bill also reinforces that student vaccine information shall be treated as Personally Identifiable Information (line 119 of the bill).

6. Prohibit Discrimination - Prohibit a person, public official or employee, public agency, state agency, political subdivision, school, child day-care center, nursing home, residential care facility, health care provider, insurer, institution, or employer from discriminating against someone for not receiving a vaccine, participating in vaccine status tracking, not providing proof of vaccination / immunity / testing (lines 143-181 of the bill). 

7. Protect Businesses Following the Law - Prohibit a person, public official or employee, public agency, state agency, political subdivision from discriminating against a business who follows these new laws (lines 187-207 of the bill).

8. Ensure this New Law Prevails in Future Public Emergencies - Prohibit a public official or employee, public agency, state agency, political subdivision from issuing orders that would conflict with the language in this bill (lines 208-232 of the bill).

9. Provide Legal Recourse for Violations - When this bill becomes law, if someone violates any provision of the new code, there can be legal repercussions, including a) Civil Rights Complaint, b) complaint to the Attorney General, and c) civil litigation (lines 233-265 of the bill).

​Read the Amended Bill that Rep. Gross Introduced at the first Committee Hearing. 📄

Comparison of Freedom Bills

2x2 Double-Sided HB248 Info Card (Business Card Size) 📄

1x2 Double-Sided HB248 Info Card (Post Card Size) 📄

8.5x11 Single-Sided HB248 Info Flyer (Full Sheet Size) 📄

8.5x11 Single-Sided Freedom Bill Comparison Chart (Full Sheet Size) 📄

CURRENT CALL TO ACTION (6/5/21)

PROPONENT TESTIMONY CONTINUES THIS TUESDAY FOR OHIO HOUSE BILL 248 (The Vaccine Choice & Anti-Discrimination Act).

Join us at the Statehouse on 6/8/21 at 10am in Room 121. Even though only selected individuals will be testifying in-person, we strongly urge everyone to attend the hearing to show support for HB248.

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• Directions to the Capitol can be found on Google, MapQuest, etc by entering the address: 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215

• Parking is tricky downtown. There's plenty of options, but please have a plan ahead of time so you don't find yourself struggling to locate a place to park.

• Capitol Security Screening requires some additional time, but is necessary. Please review Capitol Security Policies so you're prepared and can pass through quickly.

• Wear Red to show your support of HB248. The brightly colored clothes get people's attention and easily identify us as being present in support of the bill.

• Pick Up Some Info Cards from us at the Capitol. We will have HB248 info cards available for you to take with you, distribute to friends and family, so we can encourage others within our communities to join in support of the bill. Info cards can also be purchased from our website. 

Help grow public exposure for Ohio House Bill 248 and wear your support of the bill, or pass out fact cards with information about the bill. The more exposure this bill receives, the more likely it is to become law!

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