ND House defeats bill to study COVID vaccines

North Dakota’s House has rejected a legislative management study on COVID-19 vaccines.

The study would look at long-term health effects of vaccines using mRNA technology.

Hazen Republican Rep. Bill Tveit said the study should be performed.

“Our health departments, our medical facilities don’t seem to want to talk about all the statistics that are coming out of good, sound resources,” Tveit said. “I don’t know what we’re trying to hide by covering this up. I think we need to ask some questions.”

Grand Forks Republican Rep. Eric Murphy said the study should be handled by professionals in the field – not lawmakers.

“This is a heavily politicized issue,” Murphy said. “I don’t think we need to add to the politicalness of this vaccine by this body moving to study it. Let the experts study it.”

In February, the Senate passed the bill by three votes. But on Monday, it got a 7-to-6 “do not pass” recommendation by the House Human Services Committee.

The full House on Tuesday voted 53-to-38 against the bill.