CINCINNATI — Betsy Sundermann, a Cincinnati city council member, filed a motion Wednesday afternoon that would stop the city from implementing a city-wide vaccine passport system
The motion, if passed, would not prohibit private businesses from banning customers who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Instead, the motion asks for the city to not implement any kind of vaccine passport system, in direct response to New York City's new mandate, which requires a vaccine passport to enter certain businesses within the city.
Sundermann said she is not against the vaccine and is vaccinated herself, but she believes the government should not be able to force people to disclose private medical information.
"Businesses need to be able to choose whether they require those or not," said Sundermann. "And if we require them in public buildings, then it might prevent people from coming into city council, it might prevent victims from testifying in the courthouse. It could keep people from being able to go to fire departments, police departments."
She also pointed out that fewer African Americans are vaccinated than other races, so she said any vaccine requirement could disproportionately affect African Americans from coming to public buildings.
The motion will need to go through committee level before coming to full council for a vote, which is expected to take a few weeks. City council is on break again until September.
