Gizmodo reports:
A subset of Missouri legislators care deeply about freedom. For instance: The God-given right to NOT accept a life-saving vaccination and still attend public school or go to work in a hospital. Also, the freedom to not be forcibly injected with a (non-existent) microchip device or a DNA-altering substance.
Lawmakers in the state’s House have advanced a bill (HB700) that would seriously weaken covid-19 vaccine mandates and restrict Missouri’s ability to respond to future pandemics. As a bonus, the would-be law also feeds into some truly bonkers conspiracy theories.
Specifically, the law restricts “any treatment or procedure intended or designed to edit or alter human DNA or the human genome,” and “mechanical or electronic device[s]” placed under the skin.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports:
The proposal, sponsored by Republican Rep. Bill Hardwick of Waynesville, would require private employers, including small business owners, to provide exemptions to any vaccination requirements if an employee has a “sincere” religious belief about the health benefits of a vaccine.
Hardwick, who is among a number of Republicans who complained about personal freedom during the height of the local, state and national response to a rapidly spreading disease, also said children would not have to be vaccinated in order to go to school under his legislation.
Missouri, the "I don't really need to be shown" state.
"Non-Existent Vaccine Microchips Could Soon Be Banned in Missouri" https://t.co/UqIy697lbr
— Mark Pitcavage (@egavactip) March 24, 2023
The Missouri House just approved an anti-vaccination measure that could tie the hands of health professionals to address future pandemics. https://t.co/sxqSX5Fir4 by @KurtEricksonPD
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch (@stltoday) March 21, 2023
The Missouri House this week advanced a bill that would bar governments, schools, and employers from mandating certain vaccines—as well as things like vaccine microchips, which do not exist.https://t.co/ze3DNJtPdH
— Ars Technica (@arstechnica) March 25, 2023