Parson to sign new limits on pandemic health orders, 'vaccine passport' restrictions

Jun. 14—JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Mike Parson's office said Monday he would sign off on a plan to limit the authority of local health officials, a proposal pushed by GOP lawmakers in reaction to COVID-19 restrictions enacted in St. Louis County and elsewhere.

Parson's weekly schedule shows he will be signing House Bill 271, which contains checks on local health authorities, on Tuesday.

The governor's approval is noteworthy because instead of issuing statewide orders during the pandemic, he allowed counties to take the lead, empowering them to issue regulations more stringent than state standards.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, a Democrat, arguably received the most criticism in response to COVID-19 restrictions issued at a local level. The rules were designed to slow the spread of the deadly respiratory disease.

Criticism directed at Page eventually was channeled into the legislation Parson's office said he was signing.

The legislation allows a local health agency to issue public health orders — similar to the type issued during the pandemic — for no longer than 30 days before a county's governing body must act to extend the order by a simple majority.

If there is no declared state of emergency by the Missouri governor, the local governing board would have to approve extension of the order by a two-thirds vote after 21 days.

Orders in question are those "issued in response to an actual or perceived threat to public health for the purpose of preventing the spread of a contagious disease ... that directly or indirectly closes, partially closes, or places restrictions on the opening of or access to any one or more businesses, churches, schools, or other places of gathering or assembly."

The legislation is more restrained than earlier drafts.

One early proposal by Rep. Jim Murphy, R-south St. Louis County, for example, would have required local governments to seek permission from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for orders lasting longer than 45 days.

Orders lasting longer than 90 days would have required approval from the General Assembly, made up of a GOP lawmakers who have demonstrated resistance to government health orders.

"We really wanted to keep it into local control as best we could," Murphy said when asked why lawmakers removed the state from involvement in the local orders.

A spokesman for Page did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The legislation also bars government entities from requiring proof of vaccination in order for someone to access public transportation or other public accommodations.

The legislation is House Bill 271.

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