Rep. Buckner supported removing protections for COVID-19 vaccine foes

Rep. Kambium Buckner (D-Chicago) voted in favor legislation that would remove legal protections now available to opponents of COVID-19 vaccine mandates through Illinois’ Health Care Right of Conscience Act.

Buckner was among the members of the Illinois House of Representatives’ Executive Committee to vote this week on legislation authored by Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston). Her bill, which has the backing of Gov. JB Pritzker, would eliminate language in state law providing protections for those who object to medical procedures on religious or philosophical grounds.

The panel’s vote was 9-6 to advance the bill for a vote on the House floor, despite more than 48,000 opponents of the change signing witness slips. In contrast, just over 600 slips were signed that favored the change.

The Right of Conscience Act has formed the basis of recent lawsuits challenging vaccine mandates issued by employers and government agencies in Illinois. Opponents of such mandates have said they also oppose regular COVID-19 testing for people who opt not to get the vaccine.

In order for the change to become law, it would have to garner a three-fifths majority in the lower house and similar support in the state Senate.

Pritzker’s allies in the legislature decided to pursue changes in the Right of Conscience Act in the wake of a series of court losses and time-consuming legal appeals.

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Votes on Removing Health Care Rights

Source: Illinois House of Representatives