Parson says Missouri won't help much with Biden vaccine rule

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday said his administration won't help enforce President Joe Biden's federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate in some limited instances.

Parson's executive order bans his administration from enforcing the mandate or penalizing noncompliance, but only when people refuse coronavirus vaccination for religious or medical reasons.

While Biden has argued the sweeping mandates will help end the deadly pandemic, Republicans nationwide have opposed the vaccination requirements and warned they could exacerbate supply-chain problems.

"These federal mandates pose a significant risk to our state economy and workforce, and jeopardize public health by increasing vaccine hesitancy," Parson wrote in his order.

Biden is expected to release details soon about implementing the mandate. The Democrat has said companies with at least 100 employees will have to require all their employees to be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. The mandate for federal contractors goes into effect in December and it does not have a testing option.

"Let me be clear, we continue to encourage all Missourians to get vaccinated," Parson said. "We can support vaccination without supporting mandates. We are issuing this order to protect our system of government and the individual rights of Missourians to make their own health care decisions."

Parson said Missouri, which ranks in the bottom 10 of states based on the percentage of the total population having completed vaccinations, has been doing fine without mandates.

Close to half of Missourians have been fully vaccinated, according to data from the state health department. Of the population eligible to be vaccinated, those at least 12 years old, the vaccination rate is closer to 58%. More than 80% of Missourians 65 and older, who are considered at high risk for COVID-19 complications, are fully vaccinated.

Other Republican governors have taken similar stands against Biden's vaccine requirement.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday directed the state's executive-branch agencies not to cooperate with the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate, where possible. And Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Oct. 11 to bar private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines.

Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced the state is suing the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate for federal contractors, and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt on Wednesday said he plans to sue, too.

Parson's executive order also directs his administration to comply with any lawsuits Schmitt files against the federal vaccine mandate.

Democratic state House Minority Leader Crystal Quade said in a statement Parson's order is generally toothless.

"The governor's executive order appears carefully crafted to do absolutely nothing -- except promote the attorney general's latest frivolous lawsuit at taxpayer expense," she said. "If these two put as much energy into fighting the pandemic as they do into fighting those fighting the pandemic, Missouri would be in a much stronger position."