House Republicans Sue Over Vaccinations Orders at Washington State Capitol

A small group of Republican State Representatives and constituents is suing a group of key Democrats over vaccination requirements at the state Capitol.

New rules require House members and staff to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to be admitted to the House floor or their offices.

The Republican lawsuit asking a court to block to rules from being enforced, and to declare them unconstitutional and not legally binding.

Democratic House Speaker Laurie Jinkins is calling the lawsuit political theater.

The Washington State Senate has looser rules that let all member and staff to substitute COVID-19 tests in place of vaccinations.

The lawsuit - from Republican Representatives Jim Walsh of Aberdeen, Robert Sutherland of Granite Falls, Jenny Graham of Spokane, Robert Chase of Liberty Lake and Jesse Young of Gig Harbor - was filed Monday in Thurston County Superior Court.

The suit also names constituents in each of the lawmakers' districts as plaintiffs.

The new rules being litigated, which are composed of the Interim Plan and the 2022 plan, are together known as The Plans.

The lawsuit states, "The unconstitutional Plans were neither devised, nor adopted by the House members at large, but by the seven-member House Executive Rules Committee."

The Interim Plan was authorized by a 4-to-3 vote of the committee. It only allows members and staff who have provided documentation of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19” to be permitted entry to House facilities.

The 2022 Plan was issued by the House Chief Clerk last week. It allows members and staff to undergo regular testing as an alternative to showing proof of vaccination in order to gain access to authorized House spaces in the Legislative Building, but offers no testing option for access to the House floor.

The defendants in the lawsuit are House Chief Clerk Bernard Dean, along with four House Democrats - Jinkins of Tacoma, Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, Lillian Ortiz-Self of the 21st District and Majority Floor Leader Monica Jurado Stonier of the 49th District.