The state law does allow for health care organizations to require proof of vaccination, but only for"valid and enforceable" Medicare and Medicaid rules. The hospital association said that one of the court rulings"effectively eliminates" the exemption for hospitals.
Groups that could prove they lose federal funding through compliance with the state law received exemptions. This conflicts with policies the Biden administration enforced. However, Mumpower said his office"can no longer find that compliance" with the state law"would result in a loss of federal funding" because of the latest court rulings against the mandates Biden implemented.
Under the new state law, Tennessee now largely bars governments and businesses from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, and only lets schools and other public entities require masks in rare, dire public health situations, with limited exceptions. Some big companies with COVID-19 vaccine requirements had received exemptions in Tennessee. AT&T announced in September that 90,000 employees in the Communications Workers of America union would be required to be fully vaccinated by Feb. 1,"unless they get an approved job accommodation."
Among the large universities that had succeeded in landing exemptions to the law were Vanderbilt, the University of Memphis, East Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee system.
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