H-1125.1

HOUSE BILL 1801

ByRepresentatives Jacobsen, McEntire, Christian, Goehner, Corry, Schmidt, Chandler, Klicker, Robertson, Sandlin, Graham, Chambers, and McClintock

AN ACT Relating to eliminating COVID-19 vaccine requirements for new or prospective employees of state agencies; adding a new section to chapter 43.01 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.01 RCW to read as follows:

(1) An employer may not require any person hired on or after the effective date of this section, or any perspective employee or applicant, as a condition of employment, to present proof that the person has received a vaccine for COVID-19 or any variant thereof.

(2) Any rule, order, or directive that requires a person hired on or after the effective date of this section or any perspective employee or applicant, to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment is unenforceable.

(3) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "COVID-19" means a respiratory disease caused by the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

(b) "Employer" means any executive branch state agency and includes the governor's office.

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