South Dakota Governor’s Bill Would Let Workers Sue Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 16, 2021. Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo

South Dakota’s governor has unveiled a legislative proposal that would prevent employers from denying medical and religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, provided certain criteria are met.

The proposed legislation (pdf) says an employee seeking a medical exemption must get a certificate signed by a doctor in South Dakota attesting that the worker “has a medical contraindication or compelling medical reason that advises against the COVID-19 immunization.”