A Republican lawmaker is pushing to do away with much of the authority Indiana’s state and local public health officials have used to impose restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill amended by an Indiana House committee this week would prohibit health officials from steps such as imposing limits on the number of customers allowed inside a business, along with blocking restrictions on religious services or private schools.
Bill sponsor Rep. Bob Morris (R- Fort Wayne) maintains state and local officials went too far with such actions.
"I don't feel that government should limit the occupancy of a restaurant or an establishment," Morris said during the hearing. "That business owner can make those decisions."
Morris also argued that mask mandates have gone too far.
"So you're saying (if the bill passes) that the state could not mandate to the church elegation that they have to wear a mask?" asked one lawmaker.
"That's correct," answered Morris.
He also said state agencies and local health departments should not be able to impose restrictions on which surgeries hospitals can and cannot perform.
But Rep. Rita Fleming (D-Jeffersonville) a medical doctor, disagreed.
"For this period of time, to abandon these safeguards is very unwise," she told lawmakers during the hearing.
"I think this was such an unforeseen pandemic that health care officials, and government officials had to do the best they could at the time and it may be seen as an emergency knee-jerk measure," Fleming later told 13News. "But it was necessary to protect our citizens because there was so much unknown."
13News reached out to Gov. Holcomb's press secretary to respond to the proposal. So far, we haven't heard back.
Lawmakers have proposed nearly a dozen coronavirus-related bills this year that deal with the debate over public health measures and whether they cross the line and infringe upon personal freedom.
One measure would prohibit employers from requiring their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Another would provide civil immunity for businesses against employees and customers who get sick.