Republicans typically allow businesses in the state to have free rein and numerous groups, including the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, asked lawmakers to oppose the bill. The suddenly watered-down bill was a dizzying, but maybe not surprising end to a whirlwind 48 hours where the proposal went from a subcommittee to the House floor. It also makes businesses pay unemployment benefits to a worker fired for not being vaccinated. The proposal requires employers to honor religious or medical exemptions and said a medical exemption can include a prior positive COVID-19 test, pregnancy or presence of coronavirus antibodies. Senators have already gone home and appear unlikely to take the matter up before the regular 2022 session begins on Jan. The bill passed 67-31 on Thursday and only needed a routine third reading Friday before being sent to the Senate. Then, just before members were set to vote, Republican leadership stripped that ban from the bill, leaving it only banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates for state and local government employees, contractors and public school students. For five hours Thursday, the South Carolina House debated the proposal to prevent private companies in South Carolina from firing employees who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
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