OK Representative Filed Three Bills Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Three bills have been filed for the upcoming legislative session in support of the rights of Oklahoma against oppression and against the exploitation of the COVID-19 virus.

House Bill 4321 was filed by Rep. Wendi Stearman, a Republican from Collinsville, and it would prohibit the State Department of Health, medical facilities and doctors from bribing parents into having their children vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

“No state or private entity should use financial incentives to push the use of an experimental therapeutic such as the COVID-19 vaccine on Oklahomans,” Stearman said. “The choice whether or not to vaccinate a child should be based solely on medical risk and benefit, not based on any artificial benefit. It is egregious to play on the financial struggles of parents to influence their medical decisions for their children.”

The second bill filed, House Bill 4322, aims at stopping the State Department of Health from using taxpayer dollars to advertise the COVID vaccine to taxpayers.

“For the past year and a half, Oklahomans have been inundated by commercials and signs and mailers, paid with their own tax dollars, badgering them to get vaccinated,” Stearman said. “At best this is unnecessary, as no Oklahoman is unaware of this ‘vaccination’ campaign.”

Stearman says that some of these advertisements have used false information to try and lure people in to get vaccinated against COVID. Stearman goes on to say just how expensive these campaigns and advertisements are, and that they are not a productive use of state resources.

If HB4322 is passed, any violation by the State Health Department would result in a reduction in the funding allocated for the salaries of those leading the health department, rather than a fine to be paid by Oklahoma taxpayers.

The third and final bill filed by Stearman is House Bill 4316. This bill would protect parents or guardians of children and vulnerable adults from having vaccination status considered in the determination of fitness for custody.

“Vaccination status has no bearing on one’s ability to care for children, nor is it relevant to the safety and welfare of a child,” Stearman said. “It is incredible that in the United States of America we must have a bill to prohibit a person’s vaccination status from being used against [them], but sadly we must. Let us not allow Oklahoma to follow the path of other states in their disregard for the primary purpose of government, which is to protect the rights of citizens.”

These three bills will be available for consideration in the upcoming legislative session, which will begin Feb. 7 at noon.