Group challenges legality of Maine’s vaccine mandate for health care workers

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - The Alliance Against Healthcare Mandates is challenging the legality of the Mills administration’s vaccine mandate for health care workers.

Attorney Ron Jenkins filed the lawsuit on behalf of the alliance which is made up of several organizations and lawmakers.

He says Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew and the Maine CDC did not have the authority to order the mandate.

He says emergency rulemaking powers are limited and require formal public input when they could create a significant burden on stakeholders or the community.

Speakers at Tuesday’s press conference say the mandate should have gone through the legislature first.

Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby says lawmakers were elected to make decisions, not bureaucrats.

”The question here is not if health care workers should get the vaccine or not. They have the right to make that decision. The question here is if Maine’s already strained health care infrastructure can survive such a significant impact when the mandate goes into effect and who should be responsible for such changes,” Libby said.

The Alliance will hold a rally Tuesday in Bangor at Broadway Park.

It starts at 11 a.m..

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