An Illinois Democrat who recently introduced a bill that would have required people who weren't vaccinated against COVID to pay their own medical expenses if they contracted the disease — even if they had health insurance — has pulled the proposed legislation after receiving threats.
State Rep. Jonathan Carroll filed HB 4259 on Monday in Springfield, but told NBC 5 Chicago on Thursday: "Due to the unintended divisive nature of HB 4259, I've decided not to pursue this legislation. Based on feedback and further reflection, we need to heal as a country and work together on common-sense solutions to put the pandemic behind us."
Carroll said he and his staff received violent threats after filing the legislation, which wouldn't have come into effect until January 2023.
"They threatened my wife, children and synagogue along with me. My home address and other personal info was also shared," Carroll told Newsweek.
"Violent threats made against me, my family and my staff are reprehensible," he told NBC 5 Chicago. "I hope we can return to a more positive discourse on public health, especially when it comes to this pandemic that has tired us all."
Carroll said the bill would have provided an incentive to residents to get vaccinated, which would help reduce the spread of the virus in Illinois.
"If you get life insurance and you're a smoker, you pay a higher premium than those who don't," Carroll said. "The insurance companies have things like this built-in already.
"When we see over $5 billion has been spent on health care costs related to the unvaccinated, those of us that are vaccinated are frustrated," Carroll told WTAX Radio. "We followed the course of action and others haven't."
"It turned into really a free-for-all of name-calling. I was called things like the N-word, I was called derogatory terms for homosexuals," Carroll said. "I've been called a Nazi, I've been called a communist. My staff has been called all of those things."
The bill caused division – with arguments both for and against. It didn't have a co-sponsor, but it has drawn some left-wing interest, according to NBC 5.
Republican Rep. Adam Niemerg was against the measures. He introduced his own legislation that he says would protect unvaccinated Illinoisans from being discriminated against for refusing the vaccine.
"It gives folks freedom to make the decision for themselves," he said. "The freedom to talk to their doctors and have the conversation on whether they want to or don't want to take the COVID vaccine."
Update 12/10/2021, 9:25 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comments from Rep. Carroll.
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