It has been six years since COVID changed everything.
Six years since people were fired for refusing.
Six years since churches were closed and small businesses crushed.
Six years since families were excluded from society unless they complied.
Six years since our loved ones were made to suffer and die alone.
Six years since we were forced to take a vaccine.
Six years since the mandates shredded our freedoms.
And yet, here we are in 2026, and despite having a conservative supermajority, Alabama still does not have clear, written protections in state law to prevent these things from happening again.
That is why State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough’s (R-Trinity) HB12, the Conscientious Right to Refuse Act, is critical for Alabama. Without it, nothing prevents a repeat of the past.
HB12 protects the right of every Alabamian to say no to a medical mandate without losing their job, license, education, healthcare access, or their place in public life. It protects employees from being fired simply because they choose not to take a vaccine or wear a face mask. It protects patients from being denied insurance coverage or medical care, such as organ donation, simply because they declined a vaccine. It protects licensed professionals, ensuring that state boards cannot deny or revoke a license solely because someone failed to comply with a mandate. It protects the public from exclusion in places of public accommodation based on immunization status or refusal to wear a face mask. And finally, it protects employers.
During COVID, many Alabama businesses were squeezed from both sides. Federal agencies threatened fines and penalties if mandates were not enforced. At the same time, employees were begging for the freedom to choose while employers were caught in the middle.
HB12 provides employers with protection under Alabama law, preventing them from being bullied into serving as the enforcement arm of federal mandates. It creates equal protection for everyone in the state, including employees, patients, professionals, parents, and business owners. It also directs the Alabama attorney general to safeguard employee rights and stand as a guardian between Alabama employers and any unlawful federal mandates.
But it all comes down to leadership. That is why all eyes must turn to the governor’s race.
If these candidates want to lead our state, then they need to be clear about whether they support HB12. Do they support putting these protections permanently into Alabama law, and will they help us fight for the passage of this bill?
Alabamians deserve a direct answer.
We cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes when the next crisis hits. We cannot assume freedom will hold, so we must write it into law.
Emergencies will come again, and federal pressure will certainly follow. The only question is whether Alabama will be prepared next time.
Six years after COVID, because of the failures of our legislature and state leadership, we still do not have these protections in place. And it is time to fix that.
Anyone asking for the privilege of leading this state should publicly and unmistakably affirm that HB12 must pass and that codifying these protections into law is essential to defending the freedom of every Alabamian.
To the people of Alabama: Call and ask the candidates to come out loud and clear on HB12, the Conscientious Right to Refuse Act, and push for the Alabama Legislature to pass the bill.
Alabamians deserve an answer … and we are waiting.
Stephanie Durnin is the director and co-founder of Health Freedom Alabama, a grassroots organization that emerged from the 2021 effort to push back against government mandates and defend individual liberty in Alabama. Since its founding, Health Freedom Alabama has worked to advance legislation that protects medical freedom and prevent policies that threaten it. If you would like to support HB12, the Right to Refuse Act, you can sign the petition here.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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