Ducey: No city or county vaccine mandates

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey takes reporters' questions during a press conference on COVID-19. - Contributed Photo

PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order Monday prohibiting local control when it comes to vaccine mandates.

The order makes it a class-3 misdemeanor for any county, city, town or political subdivision to require employees to be vaccinated.

“We encourage all Arizonans to get the vaccine — it’s safe, effective and free,” Ducey said in a press release, “but getting it is a personal choice, and we will not allow discrimination based on vaccination status.”

The order also requires political entities to pay employees earned sick time if the employee is sick or has to quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19, whether or not the employee has been vaccinated.

In its most recent session, the state Legislature passed a bill that says cities, towns, counties and other political entities do not have the authority to enact a vaccine mandate. Ducey signed that bill into law on June 30.

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