Democrat Senators Propose Disturbing New Punishment for Parents of Unvaccinated Children

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A group of Democratic senators from Rhode Island has proposed a new and devious punishment for parents who decline to vaccinate their children for COVID-19. The senators want to charge parents of unvaccinated children DOUBLE their normal rate in income taxes. Chris Pandolfo reports in The Blaze:

Rhode Island Democrats are distancing themselves from an extreme vaccine mandate bill that would double the state income tax on unvaccinated residents and fine parents of unvaccinated children.

Two state senators who had co-sponsored the bill introduced by Democratic state Sen. Sam Bell on March 1 have since removed their names from the legislation, WJAR-TV reported Tuesday.

Bell’s vaccine mandate would require every state resident who is at least 16 years old and is eligible to take a COVID-19 vaccine to get immunized. Minors under 16 would also be required to be immunized, and their parents or legal guardians would be responsible for ensuring compliance with the mandate.

Unvaccinated residents would be fined $50 monthly for noncompliance and “shall owe twice the amount of personal income taxes” levied by the state. Vaccinated parents of unvaccinated children would be forced to pay the fine and have their income taxes doubled.

The bill would also require employers to mandate vaccination for in-person work in the state and would impose a fine of $5,000 for every violation.

The legislation was referred to the state Senate Heath and Human Services committee after it was introduced, and there has been no action on it since.

According to WJAR, state Sens. Jonathon Acosta and Tiara Mack have removed their names from the bill after initially co-sponsoring it. The Democratic lawmakers did not explain why when the outlet reached them for comment.

Bell declined an interview with the local news station but said he believed there is more support for a universal vaccine mandate than people realize.