Earlier this month, forty-three dedicated patriots representing Convention of States Action Oklahoma rallied at our state capitol building to meet with legislators in an effort to convince Governor Stitt to place the issue of mandatory vaccines as a new agenda item on the Special Session schedule.
While Governor Stitt is strongly against vaccine mandates, he is equally opposed to telling business owners how to run their organizations and declined to modify the agenda for the Special Session.
However, a positive takeaway from our team members was a door now opened for COSA Oklahoma to support and assist their legislators with upcoming anti-vaccine mandate bills when the Regular Session convenes in February 2022.
COSA Oklahoma State Director John Guinn met with Senator Rob Standridge (R, OK-15). The senator asked for COSA Oklahoma’s support on SB 1106, the: “Citizen Health Mandate Protection Act.”
This bill is aimed at both public and private entities and individuals that require vaccines or other medical treatments as a condition of employment. Those employers could be liable for $1 million in punitive damages if something goes wrong with that medication or treatment.
In another favorable conversation, SD Guinn spoke to a state GOP group “who stopped to ask questions, as they had avoided us due to all the misinformation about ‘runaway conventions’.” This group will soon be scheduling a speaking engagement with SD Guinn to “learn what COS is really about!”
In addition to SB 1106, there were other medical freedom-related bills introduced during the Special Session which COSA Oklahoma could support.
In this mix are HB 1003, “Health Care Services Discrimination;” HB 1004, “Vaccine Discrimination,” and HB 2335, “Prohibition of Vaccine Mandates.” Relationships and experiences forged during the Capitol Rally between our members and legislators will be essential towards passage of these types of bills.
Recalling her meeting with Representative Tom Gann (R, OK-8), State Grassroots Coordinator Becky Wolfe left her COS business card, spent 45 minutes discussing his introduced “Liberty Bill” (HB 1003), and had her name added to Representative Gann’s email newsletter distribution list. Representative Gann is very interested in receiving support of his bill from COSA Oklahoma.
First-time Capitol visitor and Follow-Up Team member Phil Sandifer recalled so many of our representatives commented “how they loved the people coming out.” Phil met with two legislators. He was able to talk with his representative, Marilyn Stark (R, OK-100), and Representative Justin Humphrey (R, OK-19).
Representative Stark and Phil spoke for several minutes about Convention of States, and then turned their attention to vaccine mandates. Representative Stark is “opposed to mandates and signed a letter with other representatives in opposition.” Representative Humphrey exchanged position stances on general issues and vaccine mandates specifically.
While Representative Humphrey’s moral philosophy guides him on many legislative issues, and was opposed to vaccine mandates, he “really felt conflicted about whether the state had the place to tell small private businesses how to run their companies.” Representative Humphrey said the governor felt the same.
All-in-all, Phil believed his visit was very successful. He met some dedicated COSA Oklahoma activists, talked directly to some of our lawmakers, and left the Capitol with a feeling of having his voice listened to, and is looking forward to a return visit soon.
Our State Event Coordinator Marty Piel was able to engage with State Senator Chuck Hall (R, OK-20). Limited government is the position held by Senator Hall and Governor Stitt, against vaccine mandates. However, when it comes to a business owner, we really don’t want to mandate vaccines either way.
Senator Hall questioned “if business owners really want politicians into their daily operation.” Senator Hall believes that class action suits and citizen lawsuits as pushback against the government is the way to go. The senator indicated that there is zero chance this issue will be brought during the special session.
Generally, the legislators our team members were able to talk with fell into these two camps. First, those who are definitely opposed to vaccine mandates in all situations, and those who believed it is not government’s role, either way, to tell individuals and businesses what to do regarding vaccine mandates.
While legislative redistricting was the key priority during this Special Session, COSA Oklahoma’s present disappointment will reverse itself once important medical freedom bills are taken-up and added to the Regular Session in February 2022. As we did in 2021, COSA Oklahoma stands ready to assist our legislature in supporting measures that will represent the continued best interests of the Oklahoma people.
shows up for every day
Tommy Jensen is a retired U.S. Navy cryptologist, historian, and current State Content Writer for Convention of States Action Oklahoma.
