By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com



The state House has approved a bill co-sponsored by a local lawmaker to prohibit vaccine passports.

Republican State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township and the Michigan House approved a measure 62-47 on Wednesday that would prohibit government entities in Michigan from issuing, producing or requiring a vaccine passport. House Bill 4667 would prohibit a state agency or local government from issuing documentation to certify that an individual has been vaccinated against COVID-19. Governmental entities would also be barred from incentivizing businesses to require such documentation.

Bollin, who co-sponsored the bill, criticized vaccine passport requirements that have been rolled out in other states. She commented that everyone has a right to privacy, especially when it comes to their personal medical information, and no one should be pressured into getting a shot by the threat of a ‘vaccine passport’ or other mandates from the government.

There have been no such passports proposed and the state Health Department has said it remains focused on vaccinating as many people as possible.

The Detroit News reports that Democratic State Representative Julie Rodgers of Kalamazoo criticized the bill and argued the House had more important legislation to consider than bills anticipating a "phantom" vaccine passport that don’t exist.

The measure now advances to the Senate for further consideration.