DES MOINES, Iowa — A dozen House Republicans joined Democrats Wednesday, defeating a proposal to ban employer COVID vaccine mandates.
The proposal was voted on as an amendment to another amendment.
Democrats said Republican leadership miscalculated.
"It was, I think, a sign that these bills a weren't ready for primetime because they try to throw two things together that has absolutely nothing to do with each other, but trying to play procedural games. And it backfired." said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights.
The vote was 50-48, with two representatives absent or not voting.
"As leadership, we go to the floor when we think we have 51 votes. Obviously in this situation we did not achieve that," said House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford. "That wasn't the result that we wanted but now we know we have more work to do."
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