HF2368: Medical Freedom Act Changes

Prohibits businesses, schools, and government entities in Iowa from requiring or discriminating against individuals based on their receipt of medical interventions (including vaccines, treatments, or prophylaxis), with narrow exceptions for foreign employment requirements. It repeals longstanding immunization mandates for children and related reporting requirements, removes state authority to compel treatment or vaccination during public health disasters (leaving only isolation/quarantine for those infected and unwilling/unable to be treated), and repeals additional statutes concerning COVID-19 vaccine requirements, employment, and child care immunization information. The act applies at all times, including during emergencies, and takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Key Points & Impacts:

• Prohibits businesses from denying services, employment, or access to venues/transportation based on a person's medical intervention status, except for work in foreign jurisdictions requiring such interventions.

• Bars educational institutions from mandating medical interventions for attendance, employment, or campus access, with a limited exception for foreign requirements and written notice protocols.

• Forbids government entities from requiring medical interventions for any purpose, including employment (with similar foreign exception and notice).

• Repeals requirements for child immunizations for school and child care entry (repeals Section 139A.8, removes reporting requirements in Section 299.4, and repeals immunization information provision for child care).

• Strikes state authority to mandate treatment or prophylaxis during public health disasters, limiting the Department of Health to isolation/quarantine of infected individuals unwilling or unable to undergo treatment, and allows only recommendations for treatment/quarantine of those exposed.

• Prevents discrimination in compensation or ongoing benefits based on medical intervention status, but allows one-time incentives not tied to employment terms.

• Prohibits compelling use of personal protective equipment authorized only under emergency use authorization; allows workplace PPE if compliant with federal/state rules and not discriminatory.

• Applies protections at all times, overriding any state/local/federal emergency or health crisis orders; provides for civil enforcement by the attorney general or county attorney.