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UPDATE: 4/11/2024 - S 2285 died, it failed to be scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Education Committee before the deadline for bills to be considered in their chamber of origin committee by 4/11/2024.
S 2285 was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Education Committee on 2/12/2024. This bill is sponsored by Senator Anthony P. DeLuca II.
S 2285 prohibits discrimination in postsecondary education of students, faculty, and staff based upon their medical or religious vaccine exemptions.
S 2285 amends Chapter 16-59 of Rhode Island General Laws, related to the Council on secondary education [see also Title 16 Chapter 97- "The Rhode Island Board of Education Act", to add a section to be numbered §16-59-29, "graduate student, faculty, and staff vaccine exemption," that prohibits discrimination against a student, faculty, or staff of postsecondary educational institutions, including clinical settings, based on their vaccine exemption status for medical or religious vaccine exemptions and is summarized as follows:
§16-59-29 subsection (a) prohibits discrimination within a required place of external learning (RePEL) against students, faculty, or staff of postsecondary educational institutions who are granted medical or religious exemptions, including but not limited to places of internships, residencies, rotations, fellowships, mentorships, clinical laboratories, research laboratories, studios, theaters, culinary or hospitality venues, and practica.
§16-59-29 subsection (b) requires a contracted place of business identified as a RePEL to uphold the student, faculty, or staff's vaccine exempt status and discrimination prohibition when working in a degree program that requires their participation with a contracted place of business identified as a RePEL.
§16-59-29 subsection (c) requires a dispatching academy having financial investment with, potential conflicts of interest with, and/or a business partnership with a company that furnishes a RePEL to uphold the student, faculty, or staff's vaccine exempt status and discrimination prohibition when they are participating in their duties within the incorporated company.
If passed, S 2285 will take effect upon passage.
NVIC SUPPORTS S 2285 because it protects the right of individuals involved in postsecondary programs to refuse a vaccine without coercion, discrimination, or punishment. Every individual deserves the right to informed consent, which includes the right to refuse, no matter what postsecondary educational choices they make, including those in a medical or clinical setting. This bill protects these postsecondary students, faculty, and staff from discrimination based on their medical or religious objections to vaccination without having to lose access to employment or postsecondary educational options, including when they are completing postsecondary degree requirements off campus. NVIC is opposed to all vaccine mandates. All vaccines are pharmaceutical products that carry a risk of injury or even death. Vaccines should not be a condition of receiving a college education or employment. An improvement to this bill would be to prevent all vaccine mandates in the state, rather than prohibiting discrimination for those who are exempt for medical or religious reasons.
http://status.rilin.state.ri.us/ - For status and history of S 2285, click on the link and enter "2285" in the bill search text box.
https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText24/SenateText24/S2285.pdf - text of S 2285
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