At their meeting on January 27, 2022, the Massachusetts Republican State Committee, the governing body of the Massachusetts Republican Party, passed a resolution opposing all forms of vaccine- and vaccine-passport mandates.

The resolution reads:

Massachusetts Republican State Committee Resolution Opposing 
All Forms of Vaccine- and Vaccine-Passport Mandates 
to Ensure Freedom of Health Choice for Residents of the Commonwealth

WHEREAS: Our constitutional republic is deeply rooted in the guiding principles of individual liberty and freedom from tyranny; and

WHEREAS: The COVID-19 era has challenged individual liberty and freedom of choice across the United States as related to vaccine-, and vaccine-passport mandates by local, state, and federal governments; and 

WHEREAS: Governor Charlie Baker has resisted the demands of un-American legislators, unions, and far-left activists to impose such mandates that threaten freedom of choice for residents of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu recently initiated, for the first time, a vaccine passport for Boston that began on January 15, 2022. The city of Salem and the town of Brookline followed Boston’s lead and other cities and towns in Massachusetts may be considering vaccine passports. 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the State Committee of the Massachusetts Republican Party: the State Committee is united in opposition to all forms of vaccine-, and vaccine-passport mandates to ensure the rights of all residents of the Commonwealth afforded to them under our state and federal Constitutions.

Republican State Committeewoman Kathy Lynch handed in to lawmakers more than 3,000 signatures from residents statewide who are fed up with medical mandates. Lynch gathered signatures in person and online.

The petition reads:

We call on Governor Baker and all MA lawmakers to protect our health and mobility rights

• No person shall be compelled by law to acquiesce to medical treatments or procedures, collection of specimens, or sharing of personal data or medical information. 
• A person’s fundamental rights to privacy, travel, and speech afforded under the United States Constitution shall not be infringed upon to impede the making of decisions for themselves or for their dependents, including, but not limited to, health and medical care, including complementary and alternative healthcare services, education, employment, travel, and lifestyle preferences.
• No employer shall terminate the employment of an employee solely on the basis of the employee’s choice to engage or not engage with medical treatment.
• The commonwealth shall not require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of entry to the commonwealth.
• The commonwealth and all of its agencies, authorities and political subdivisions shall not require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of entry to a public building. No public or private elementary school, secondary school, high school, charter school, college, university or other post-secondary institution of higher education shall require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of enrollment, access to campus or attendance in in-person classes.
• No business shall require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of entry to the business.
• No owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent or employee of any place of public accommodation, resort or amusement shall, directly or indirectly, by themselves or another, require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of entry to a place of public accommodation, resort or amusement.

The petition uses language from two health-freedom bills in the legislature: Bill SB1122 – An Act relative to bodily autonomy and family integrity filed by Senator Patrick O’Connor (R) and Bill HD4416 – An Act prohibiting COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entry filed by State Representative Peter Durant (R). 

State Committeewoman Lynch, who may be reached at info@westfordmagop.org, said “While many in Massachusetts have no problem getting an experimental vaccination or even using a vaccine passport, tonight we showed that thousands are adamantly opposed to this intrusion. Republicans believe the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person’s dignity, privacy, and freedom must be honored.”