Good Day BIO: As cases rise, anti-vax legislation looms

This year is already shaping up to be an important year for state legislation—related to both vaccines and biofuels. We take a look at what happened in 2021 and what to expect in 2022. (621 words, 3 minutes, 6 seconds)

As COVID cases rise, anti-vaccine legislation looms

Yesterday, 1 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with COVID-19—a new global record. But as cases rise, so too does anti-vaccine legislation in the states, as we explored in a recent piece.

Anti-vaccine legislation tends to fall into one of three categories:

1. Banning the mandating of vaccination by employers and government services providers.
2. Banning schools from mandating masks and/or proof of vaccination.
3. Banning vaccine passports from being mandated to attend major sporting and entertainment events as well as to travel into a state.

And such bills have already been enacted in 16 states—with much of the vaccine-related legislation in 2021 focused specifically on carving out space for exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates/passports. 

Looking ahead to state legislature activity in 2022, there’s “a push to go beyond COVID-19 vaccines, and look at ways to increase exemptions for school immunization, which is concerning,” said Patrick Plues, BIO’s VP for State Government Affairs. 

What can we expect? Faced with Omicron and midterm elections, legislators proposing anti-vaccine legislation could “dig their heels in even more,” he continued—evidenced by such legislation which picked up steam even during the rise of the Delta variant. 

Read the whole thing.

Do you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines? Visit www.COVIDVaccineFacts.org.

More Health Care News: 

FDA: FDA takes multiple actions to expand use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
The amended emergency use authorization will “expand the use of a single booster dose to include use in individuals 12 through 15 years of age,” shorten the time between primary vaccination and a booster dose to “at least five months,” and allow for a third dose for certain immunocompromised children 5+.

New York’s heating oil blending requirement begins important year for biofuels

After a landmark year for low-carbon fuel standards, 2022 begins with a boost for biofuels as New York will become “the largest state to enact a biodiesel blending requirement for heating oil,” reported Reuters.

The requirement: “All heating oil sold for use in any building in New York must contain at least 5% biodiesel by July 1, 2022, 10% by 2025 and 20% biodiesel by 2030,” explains Reuters. 

Why it matters: “Reduction in greenhouse gasses as a result of increased biofuel usage, as well as reducing costly and inefficient single-use plastics will massively benefit both human health and environmental sustainability,” said NY Assemblymember Steve Englebright in a statement announcing a package of environmental legislation passed just before Christmas. 

Keep an eye on New York. It’s expected there could be a “serious” effort to enact a low-carbon fuel standard in New York in 2022, we reported. “Once New York passes [LCFS legislation], then New Jersey and Connecticut become natural follow-ups,” said Gene Harrington, BIO’s Director of State Advocacy and State Government Affairs for Food and Agriculture. 

Sustainable biofuels are one of the best-available climate solutions—helping to clean up everything from heating oil to home and personal care products to transportation, and especially aviation. 

Investment is key to advancing this technology—and the federal government is investing millions in biofuel R&D. 

But we need low-carbon fuel standards, too—at both the national and the state level. We’ll be keeping an eye on this issue throughout 2022, so stay tuned.

Read: A year of breakthroughs for low-carbon fuel standards, with more to come in 2022

President Biden’s Tuesday: ICYMI, yesterday the administration announced an “action plan for a fairer, more competitive, and more resilient meat and poultry supply chain.” 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Add a snowstorm to the list of things that continue to stymie the Senate vote on Build Back Better—though, per POLITICO Huddle, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has “pledged a vote…this month.” E&E Daily outlines four possible scenarios for the legislation. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Senate will consider Robert Califf, President Biden’s nominee to lead FDA.