New State Law Would Make It Illegal To Request A Person’s Vaccine Status

A new law proposed in South Carolina could make it illegal for an employer or other organization to ask about a person’s vaccine status.

South Carolina House Bill 4848, also called the “don’t ask” bill, would make questions about a person’s COVID-19 status a misdemeanor crime.

“Notwithstanding another provision of law to the contrary, any employee, officer, agent, or other representative of a public, nonprofit, or private entity who inquires about the COVID-19 vaccination status of any student, employee, member, or anyone else seeking admission on the entity’s premises is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than fourteen thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.” the bill’s text states.

Republican state Rep. Bill Chumley served as one of the co-sponsors of the newly-proposed bill.