City Council rejects effort to repeal city’s vaccine mandate

Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd) speaks during a special City Council meeting Friday about repealing the vaccine mandate for city workers. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The ordinance failed Friday by a vote of 30-13.

An effort to breathe life back into ordinances seeking to scuttle the city’s vaccine mandate failed Friday by a vote of 30-13 in Chicago’s City Council.

The vote came after more than a dozen City Council members who are among the police union’s staunchest supporters called for the special City Council meeting to consider an ordinance seeking to repeal the vaccine mandate being fought tooth-and-nail by the Fraternal Order of Police.

Earlier this week, the repeal ordinance championed by Alderpersons Silvana Tabares (23rd) and Anthony Napolitano (41st) was shunted to the Rules Committee, the traditional burial ground where ordinances opposed by the mayor go to die.

Tabares told the Sun-Times she wasn’t giving up and made good on that promise Wednesday when she joined Napolitano, embattled Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th), indicted Ald. Edward Burke (14th), Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) and a host of other police allies on the Council in calling the special meeting to consider the ordinance seeking to repeal the vaccine mandate.

In all, 13 alderpersons joined the call for the special meeting.

Two vaccine-related ordinances were introduced Monday. Both were shunted to the Rules Committee.

The ordinances would have effectively repealed the vaccine mandate that requires city employees to report their vaccination status and, if they’re not vaccinated, submit to regular testing until the Jan. 1 vaccine deadline.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3vVoVcN