LA delays vote on strict vaccine requirement for indoor spaces

The Los Angeles City Council has delayed its vote on what would be one of the nation’s toughest vaccine requirements for indoor spaces.

At Wednesday’s meeting, most Council members voiced support for the ordinance requiring proof of Covid-19 vaccinations to enter restaurants, movie theaters, retail stores and other indoor spaces.

Councilmember Joe Busciano, who is running for mayor, held up the proceeding, saying he would oppose the measure, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Council needed a unanimous vote for Wednesday’s meeting. It can, however, approve the ordinance with a simple majority next week.

Similar Covid measures have been enacted around the country, though L.A.’s would be among the strictest. In August, New York City became the first city in the U.S. to require proof of vaccination to enter some spaces, including indoor dining venues, along with concerts and gyms. The measure has been challenged in court.

Meanwhile, Busciano’s move does not change the date that L.A.’s measure would take effect if it gets approved, the Times reported. Busciano called the measure unenforceable.

“Making a teenager … serve as a bouncer to keep people in or out of a restaurant and then fining the business for their failure is not the way to go about it,” he said, according to the report. The day before the Council removed him from his position as president pro tempore. For his mayoral run, Busciano has positioned himself as a “clean streets” candidate who will pursue tougher laws regarding homeless issues.

Council President Nury Martinez said the vaccine measure would be approved and criticized Busciano’s opposition.

“This is about saving lives, and political stunts like this are now putting Angelenos at risk,” she said.

[LAT] — Dennis Lynch