During a special session created to approve maps for the next round of redistricting in Iowa, a bipartisan bill swept through both the Iowa House and Senate aiming to provide protection to those who object to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

District 40 State Senator Ken Rozenboom and District 79 Dustin Hite joined lawmakers from both parties to overwhelmingly pass House File 902, which allows employees to apply for religious and medical exemptions to COVID-19 vaccines if they don’t comply with a private employer’s mandate. It also allows for unemployment benefits if that employee is wrongfully terminated with an allowed exemption.

Rozenboom and Hite both say the measure doesn’t conflict with current federal guidance issued by OSHA and the Biden administration, and instead aims to build similar protections to those already in place for long-existing vaccines.

The bill passed the Iowa House 67-27 and Iowa Senate by a 45-4 vote.