Hawaii’s Vaccine Mandate For State Lawmakers Is Unusual… There’s no clear punishment for House lawmakers who disobey vaccine requirements, but senators could face expulsion.
The Hawaii Legislature will be one of the few in the country to require all of its members and staff to be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly Covid-19 tests.
The House rules are set to go into effect Sept. 30 while the Senate’s mandate is slated to begin Sept. 1.
While staff can be required to take the shot or face disciplinary action, including termination, lawmakers themselves can’t be forced to get a Covid-19 vaccine, legislative leaders said.
“Elected officials have to set an example for the rest of the public,” House Speaker Scott Saiki said. “We may have some members that have legitimate medical reasons for not being vaccinated and I understand that. But for those who just refuse to be vaccinated for any reason are not setting a good example.”
