Today, Oct. 18, is the deadline Gov. Jay Inslee set when he announced in August vaccination requirements for most state employees, private health care workers, long-term care workers, employees working in K-12, most child care and early learning, and higher education. Under the mandate, employees covered under the governor’s emergency order must be fully vaccinated by today or risk losing their jobs.

Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, has strongly criticized the governor’s forced vaccination mandate and the threat to fire dedicated employees. Today, Abbarno issued this statement:

“Today marks a sad page in Washington state’s history for many working families. It is clearly evident the governor is more interested in punishing Washingtonians for their beliefs than finding respectful and reasonable solutions.

“To great disappointment, teachers, nurses, state employees, school employees, first responders, and heroes who safely served and protected us the past 18 months — even as recently as yesterday — are now being forced to choose between abandoning their deeply-held beliefs or jeopardizing their family’s livelihood. To add a painful footnote, the governor is denying unemployment benefits to these working families . . .