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UPDATE: 5/16/2023 - SB 1433 died. It failed to pass the Full Senate before the session recessed 6/13/2023.
UPDATE: 2/21/2023 - SB 1433 passed the Senate Minority & Majority Caucuses on 2/21/2023.
UPDATE: 2/18/2023 - SB 1433 was amended in the Senate Judiciary Committee and passed by a vote of 3 yes, 2 no and 2 not voting. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Rules Committee on 2/20/2023 at 1:00 PM in Caucus Room 1. Agneda - https://www.azleg.gov/getCurrentPDF/?doctype=A&docid=15974
The amendment expands the bill to apply to any vaccine that has received emergency use authorization (EUA). The amendment does not change NVIC's position. Employers should not be able to mandate any vaccines and not accept an employee's request for a religious belief exemption or accommodation.
UPDATE: 2/12/2023 - SB 1433 has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, 2/16/2023, at 8:00 AM in Senate Hearing Room 1.
Members of the public may access a livestream of the meeting here: https://www.azleg.gov/videoplayer/?clientID=6361162879&eventID=2023021087.
Agenda: https://www.azleg.gov/agendas/0216012029127.pdf
SB 1433 was introduced and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on 2/1/2023. It is sponsored by Senator Justine Wadsack.
This bill requires employers who require current or potential employees to receive a COVID-19, as a condition of employment, and who refuse to accept a religious exemption, to be liable for significant injury caused by receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
While well intentioned, this bill is attempting to disincentivize religious discrimination based solely on an employers refusal of a religious exemption to employer COVID-19 vaccine mandates by making the employer liable for injuries if the employee tried to submit a religious exemption and the employer denied it. It is not good policy to allow employers to hurt employees by forcing COVID-19 vaccines which carry the risk of injury or death. Making an employer pay damages after the fact of vaccine injuries for only employees denied a religious exemption is too little too late. Employers should be prohibited from forcing medical procedures on employees.
NVIC's WATCH position could be changed to SUPPORT if the bill were changed to ban all employer vaccine mandates. We agree that employers who deny exemptions should be held liable, but recognize that the issue would be moot if there were no employer required vaccinations.
https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/79093?SessionId=127 - text, status, and history of SB 1433
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