Actions

Arizona governor OK's ban on school COVID-19 vaccines

Ross D. Franklin/AP

FILE - Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey speaks at a ceremony on Dec. 7, 2021, in Phoenix. Two more bills restricting responses to the coronavirus pandemic are heading to Ducey's desk, including one that would impact the ability of future state leaders to respond to another airborne-spreading disease and a second blocking the state from ever requiring schoolchildren to get a COVID-19 vaccine. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

By: Associated Press

Posted

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s Republican governor has signed legislation preventing state health officials from ever adding a COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required school inoculations and barring mask mandates in government buildings.

The bills Gov. Doug Ducey signed Friday permanently block disease mitigation measures that many health professionals say are critical to reining in the pandemic if case counts again surge or the virus mutates and becomes more deadly to children.

GOP lawmakers say they are needed to stop government overreach and intrusion into personal choice. Minority Democrats were united in opposition.

----

STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE