California Assembly Bill No. 455 (AB-455) began its life as a typical bill concerning transit-only traffic lanes on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The bill made its way through the legislature in the usual manner, which included the appropriations committee and eventually, it was passed on the floor of the Assembly. Nothing too unusual about that, right?
This is where it gets questionable. Democrats then seized the bill, employing the much-maligned and secretive “gut-and-amend” process. And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Democrats simply struck out all the bits of the approved bill pertaining to transportation and replaced them with so-called amendments “relating to COVID-19 vaccination requirements.” Here’s the new gutted and amended AB-455:
AMENDMENTS TO ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 455 by PJ Media on Scribd
In fact, Democrats feel empowered to use “gut-and-amend” to force a vaccine mandate under the still-existing state of emergency declared by Gov. Gavin Newsom all the way back in early March of 2020. The Democrats maintain that due to the supposed urgent threat still posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, they should declare:
…that this legislation, which would establish new proof-of-vaccination requirements for public establishments, as defined, and employment, is reasonable and necessary to address this monumental public health crisis and to protect the public health and well-being of the people of California.
“And suddenly,” reports California Globe, “a bill which could not pass through the Legislature legitimately in the committee process, would mandate the COVID vaccine on employees in private industry or be fired.”
Notwithstanding any other law, an establishment, as defined in subdivision shall require each person who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, who seeks to enter the indoor facilities of that establishment, to show proof to an employee or authorized agent of the establishment that the person has been vaccinated against COVID-19.
In other words, relax. California government knows what’s best for you and your family. What’s best is you being forced to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or you will be unable to eat inside a restaurant, shop, see a movie or play, attend a sporting event, go to school, or even work at any publicly accessible establishments.
“Establishment” means any of the following that serve the public as a place of public accommodation:
(A) Any inn, hotel, motel, or other establishment that provides lodging to transient guests, other than an establishment located within a building that does not contain more than five rooms for rent or hire and that is actually occupied by the proprietor of that establishment as the proprietor’s residence.
(B) Any restaurant, bar, cafeteria, lunchroom, lunch counter, soda fountain, or other facility principally engaged in selling food or beverages for consumption on the premises, including, but not limited to, any such facility located on the premises of any retail establishment or gasoline station.
(C) Any motion picture house, theater, concert hall, sports arena, stadium, gym, spa, or other place of exhibition or entertainment.
(D) Any establishment that is physically located within the premises of any establishment otherwise covered by this paragraph
Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to get takeout. Besides, it’s for your own good and the good of the collective or something.
California Democrats have been itching to implement a vaccine mandate as well as a vaccine passport. The only problem has been that those darned pesky rules in the legislature would never have allowed them to get bills through. As we know, rules, procedures, and what’s right have never been much of a deterrent for Democrats, so presto! Here’s AB-455 ready for Newsom’s signature. The question is, will he sign it now or wait until after the September 14 recall election? My money is on him waiting and if he wins, woe to us all.
It remains to be seen if AB-455 will become a reality, but “gut-and-amend” will definitely still be around either way. The process has been used in the past by both political sides, but what makes this time so egregious is that it’s not simply a budget issue or a special interest issue. It’s a mandate infringing on our personal liberty—the right to decide what we do with our own bodies—and we’ll be banished from mainstream society if we disobey.
“Proof” means valid documentation of the person’s COVID-19 vaccination record, which may be their vaccine card or a copy or a digital version thereof, as provided by their health care provider, the State Department of Public Health, or another state or federal agency.
Does that sound even remotely like American values to you? It certainly doesn’t to me.
Recommended: As California Goes, So Goes the Nation. But Why Should We Put Up With It?
Never fear though, authoritarian Democratic-run cities like San Fransico have already implemented the “proof of vaccination” requirement, which I had the unpleasant experience of navigating last week. Truly, I was asked to show proof of vaccination to order a freaking burrito. Granted, the burrito was excellent, but nothing is worth compromising my liberty or that of my fellow citizens.
