“The government does not have a place in forcing you to take the vaccine, or threatening your financial livelihood if you do not,” GOP state Congressman William Chumley said, as reported by WHNS-TV.
Chumley is the co-sponsor of the bill.
“South Carolina did not want to get in this fight,” he stated. “It was forced on us by the Biden government.”
Chumley called the new proposal a “job and freedom protection issue.”
House Bill 4848 is short and to the point.
“Notwithstanding another legal provision to the contrary, an officer, agent, or other official of a nonprofit, public or private group who asks questions about the vaccination status of any person, student, employee, or anybody else seeking admission on the group’s premises is guilty of a misdemeanor and, if convicted, will be fined not over fourteen thousand dollars or imprisoned no longer than one year, or both,” it says.
The bill was put forward last week and will be looked over by the House Judiciary Committee.
Republican state Congressman Mike Burns, who is another co-sponsor of the “do not ask” bill, said American liberty cannot be infringed even during the fight against coronavirus, according to WHNS-TV.
“This is still America and citizens should not choose what meds they take, or do not take,” Burns stated.
He has also put forward legislation allowing American citizens to opt out of mandates and preventing discrimination against people who do so.
“We should respect people who wish to have them, but we should also respect those who are on the other end and do not want to take it,” Burns stated.
“We need to be very careful with the laws we impose on American citizens,” he stated. “Freedom is an important thing, liberty is crucial.”
Labor lawyer Jeremy Summerlin said that the law being sponsored by Chumley could cause employers to be caught between federal and state edicts.
“You put companies in an impossible spot,” Summerlin said.
“You have a state law that states if you ask about this, and try to go along with federal law, then you will go to jail,” he said.
