WASHINGTON — D.C. Council voted 12-1 to pass a vaccine requirement for council members and staff after considering it for some time, they announced in an afternoon meeting Tuesday.
The original tip-off that a mandate was on the horizon came from an internal memo from Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, in which Mendelson asked that the council consider an internal resolution that would require all council members and staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of October or face consequences.
According to the memo, the idea for a mandate came as a result of several conversations by council members last month.
"Failure to adhere to the vaccine policy would constitute a violation of the Council Rules and employees who do not comply would face disciplinary action by the respective personnel authority," the memo reads. Those who are granted religious or medical exemptions must undergo weekly testing.
The Council does not fall under the authority of the mandate for D.C. federal workers, which took effect last month.
The lone vote against the policy was Ward 8 Council Member Trayon White.
He said in the meeting that people should be allowed to decide for themselves what to do with their bodies without the possibility of losing their jobs.
Chairman Mendelson said initially in the conception of the mandate that the Council will introduce an amendment to update an existing law granting him the authority to "take disciplinary action against Council employees for failure to comply with the Council COVID-19 Vaccination Policy."
According to the memo, disciplinary action could include termination. But, in an email statement, Mendelson said he hopes not to take such drastic action.
"I am hopeful ... that I will not have to exercise this authority. In sum: this is about ensuring that everyone is vaccinated," Mendelson wrote in the email to WUSA9.
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