Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, issued the following statement addressing the COVID vaccine deadline.

“Governor Jay Inslee’s mandate has removed the choice for hundreds of thousands of people to decide for themselves whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine. To make matters worse, these individuals are now in fear of losing their jobs and their livelihoods and that is simply wrong. Plain and simple, this is coercion and blackmail.

“We have dealt with one-man rule for almost 600 days. I was elected to represent the people of the 39th Legislative District and it is time for the governor to allow me to do my job. He is the only governor in the country requiring the vaccine as a condition of employment. I am a steadfast proponent and believer in local control and believe that business owners and individuals should have the ability to choose what works best for them and their families.

“It is far past time for the Legislature to take back control from Governor Inslee and put an end to this state of emergency and countless mandates.”