Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced legislation Tuesday to prevent the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from requiring passengers to present proof they have received a coronavirus vaccine for domestic flights and protect the privacy of personal health information.
According to text from the bill, dubbed the “Freedom to Fly Act,” the legislation would “prohibit the Transportation Security Administration from asking passengers on domestic flights for information regarding vaccinations.”
Following the coronavirus pandemic, Scott said in a statement Tuesday that smooth measures and travel are “critical to getting our economy fully re-opened.”
“While I continue to encourage everyone who wants one to get the vaccine, the federal government has no business requiring travelers to turn over their personal medical information to catch a flight,” said Scott. “My Freedom to Fly Act ensures families in Florida and across the country can travel freely and without the ridiculous government bureaucracy created by vaccine passports.”
Several states — including Florida, Alabama, Texas, Alaska, Georgia, Arizona, and Wyoming — have moved to prohibit coronavirus vaccine passports or documentation in some form.
In May, Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation to ban vaccine passports, saying Floridians’ “personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision.”
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