Governor Pete Ricketts has signed into law a bill that allows Nebraskans to claim medical or religious exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements in most workplaces. The bill has an emergency clause and went into effect at midnight.
It applies to State agencies and political subdivisions as well as private employers, but does not apply to the federal government, tribal governments, or workers covered by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) vaccine mandate.
It deals with vaccination only and does not apply to workplace requirements for COVID-19 testing or the usage of personal protective equipment (PPE).
In signing the bill, Ricketts said “Sweeping COVID vaccine mandates fail to account for individuals’ medical conditions and religious convictions. Unlike the Federal government, the Nebraska Legislature recognizes that.”
LB 906e directs the Nebraska Health and Human Services to create a COVID-19 vaccine exemption form that residents can use to indicate that coronavirus vaccination conflicts with their religious beliefs or practices.
They may also use the form for medical exemption, provided a healthcare practitioner has signed a statement that coronavirus vaccination is inadvisable or ought to be delayed given the individual’s medical condition.