An Oklahoma State Representative filed legislation to end what he calls a “shocking abuse.”

Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, has received numerous calls from concerned constituents who are being asked to take an emergency use authorization (EUA) drug as a condition of continued employment. The manufacturers of the EUA have been exempted from legal liability. While the Federal Drug Administration has approved a normal use authorization of the drug, it hasn’t been made available; and there is little evidence that it will be made available at any point in the near future. Gann believes this is because the approved version of the drug would subject the drug makers to legal liability from injured Oklahomans.

“Following Oklahoma’s successful, landmark opioid settlement against the drug makers, it’s inconceivable that any employer would ask employees to subject themselves to an EUA injection from that same industry,” Gann said.

Gann filed House Bill 1003X to end the abuse.

HB1003X, the “Liberty Bill,” duplicates an Illinois law that has been on the books in that state since 1998. That law prevents employers from discriminating against employees who resist forced drug injection.

Gann is unaware of any evidence of any harm to that state’s businesses for the 23 years since the law was passed. Gann noted that the law was so effective at preventing the forced injection abuse, that last month, the authoritarians who currently run Illinois felt compelled to amend the law in order to allow for the abuse to take place in their state.

“I believe this is just one of many important pieces of legislation that will emerge in the upcoming days as Oklahoma’s policymakers react to the recent abuses and attempt to ensure that they can never re-occur,” Gann explained.

Gann filed the “Liberty Bill” (HB1003X) for the upcoming special session and will refile for the 2022 session of the Legislature. This will allow Oklahoma’s governor to amend the call for a special session and the Legislature to take immediate action.