INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana House voted Tuesday to effectively block private companies from enforcing COVID-19 mandates.

The measure, HB 1001, says businesses have to grant exemptions from getting the vaccine to employees who request them on a medical or religious basis or who have contracted the virus within six months.

The measure also says if someone is fired even after requesting a COVID-19 vaccine exemption, they can receive unemployment benefits.

And it includes provisions, requested by Gov. Eric Holcomb, that will allow him to end the state’s public health emergency without losing access to millions in federal funding tied to the pandemic.

The bill now heads to the Senate.