2023 -- H 5916
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LC001966
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- COVID-19 VACCINATION MANDATE
PROHIBITED
Introduced By: Representatives J. Brien, Corvese, Cardillo, Place, Noret, and Phillips
Date Introduced: March 01, 2023
Referred To: House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby 1
amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 2
CHAPTER 99 3
COVID-19 IMMUNIZATION MANDATE PROHIBITED 4
23-99-1. Short title. 5
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “COVID-19 Immunization Mandate 6
Prohibited”. 7
23-99-2. COVID-19 immunization mandate by governmental entity prohibited. 8
(a) No governmental entity shall implement, require or otherwise enforce a COVID-19 9
immunization mandate. 10
(b) For purposes of this section, a "governmental entity" means any executive, legislative, 11
judicial, regulatory, or administrative body of the state, or any political subdivision thereof; 12
including, but not limited to: any department, division, agency, commission, board, office, bureau, 13
authority; any school, fire, or water district, or other agency of Rhode Island state or local 14
government that exercises governmental functions; any authority as defined in § 42-35-1; or any 15
other public or private agency, person, partnership, corporation, or business entity acting on behalf 16
of and/or in place of any public agency. 17
23-99-3. Complaint. 18
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(a) Any individual who believes that a governmental entity has violated the provisions of 1
§§ 23-99-2 or 23-99-4 may file a complaint with the office of the attorney general in the manner 2
prescribed by the office of the attorney general. 3
(b) The office of the attorney general shall investigate all complaints filed pursuant to 4
subsection (a) of this section. The office of the attorney general may also investigate any 5
governmental entity that the attorney general has reason to believe has violated §§ 23-99-2 or 23-6
99-4. 7
(c) If the office of the attorney general determines that a violation of §§ 23-99-2 or 23-99-8
4 has occurred, the office of the attorney general may issue a civil penalty against the governmental 9
entity in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation payable to the 10
agrieved individual. 11
23-99-4. Discrimination and civil or criminal penalties prohibited. 12
A governmental entity shall not discriminate against any individual or issue a civil or 13
criminal penalty upon any individual for refusing any COVID-19 vaccination. 14
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 15
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- COVID-19 VACCINATION MANDA TE
PROHIBITED
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This act would prohibit any governmental entity from mandating the COVID-19 1
vaccination, or from discriminating against any individual or issuing a civil or criminal penalty 2
upon any individual for refusing any COVID-19 vaccination with enforcement by the attorney 3
general by way of a civil penalty payable to the individual. 4
This act would take effect upon passage. 5
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