LA council considers ending vaccination verification mandate

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a motion that would end a requirement that many indoor businesses and large outdoor events verify that customers are vaccinated against COVID-19.

The motion by council President Nury Martinez would make vaccination verifications voluntary at such establishments as restaurants, bars, gyms and personal care businesses.

If it receives at least 12 aye votes, the motion would meet the council's “urgency” threshold and could take effect quickly. A simple majority would also pass the motion but it wouldn't go into effect for several weeks.

On March 23 the council voted 13-1 in favor of the motion, but because it wasn't unanimous a second vote was required.

At the time, Councilman Mike Bonin said he voted against lifting the requirement because of concerns about the spread of new variants of the virus.

“I know it feels like we’re out of the woods. It feels like we’re all going back to normal. But there’s new variants and new strains all the time,” Bonin said, adding that he hoped he was wrong.

While COVID-19 metrics have been on the decline in Los Angeles County, public health officials have reported an increasing number of cases of the more-infectious BA.2 subvariant.