Peach Tree Times

Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr are preparing to file a lawsuit against President Biden's vaccine mandate for private businesses.

According to a press release, prior to the official release of the Biden administration's rule mandating that private businesses require employee vaccination against COVID-19, Kemp and Carr participated in filing a lawsuit over the requirement that all federal contractors be vaccinated.

"In addition to being an unlawful and unconstitutional overreach, this vaccine mandate on federal contractors will only further divide Americans and hamstring our economy," Kemp said, according to the release. "Polling shows 70% of unvaccinated Americans say they would quit their jobs if their company required the COVID-19 vaccine. From an employer's perspective, 9 in 10 fear significant reductions in their workforce if they had to implement vaccine mandates. 

"We will not allow the Biden administration to circumvent the law or force hardworking Georgians to choose between their livelihood or this vaccine."

Now that the federal rule through OSHA has been officially enacted, Kemp and Carr have filed a lawsuit challenging the regulation.

"We are filing suit against the Biden administration in response to the government mandate placed on Georgia’s federal contractors," Carr said, according to the press release. "We will challenge this heavy-handed directive that not only serves as a clear violation of law but also places immense burden on our state. Just as we believe in protecting the physical health and well-being of our fellow Georgians, we are equally dedicated to protecting them from the unlawful actions of the federal government."

The press release says that "Georgia has joined the states of Florida and Alabama, along with several private employers, in filing the lawsuit with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Private employers that are also parties in the action include the Georgia Highway Contractors Association, the Georgia Motor Trucking Association and Robinson Paving Co."

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has given an emergency stay on Biden's vaccine mandate, according to NPR News.