Local

Bill proposes felony charge for selling fake proof of vaccination

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill has been proposed in Washington that would make selling a fake vaccination card or document a felony and knowingly using one a misdemeanor.

SB 5667 “Creates a class C felony crime to knowingly sell, offer or expose for sale, or otherwise transfer, or possess with the intent to do the same, a document, printed form, or other writing which falsely purports to be proof of vaccination against COVID-19.”

A class C felony is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.

Some say criminalizing fake vaccine cards could be useful.

“If you’re going to hurt somebody else because of something that you’re lying about, I think there should be some type of repercussions,” said Gary Barks of Seattle.

Using proof of vaccination that is known to be fraudulent would also be against the law.

“An individual who with the intent to defraud, to exhibit, to display, or otherwise offer as genuine, fraudulent proof of COVID-19 vaccination status at any retail or service establishment open to the public or public space that requires proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of entry is guilty of a misdemeanor,” the bill says.

A misdemeanor is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.

Others wonder if such a law would just be another added to a lengthy rule book that may not even be enforced.

“We already have a backlog in our legal system of things that are — people just trying to get by — it’s hard because on the one hand, yes, I’m like, ‘people shouldn’t be doing that,’” said Adelaide Leroy of Seattle.

The bill cites widespread vaccination as the only way to avoid the return to strict public health measures, protect the state’s health care system and pull the state out of the pandemic.

Since August 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized thousands of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at international mail facilities and express consignment carrier facilities, according to background information on the bill.

The bill will be discussed in a Senate committee hearing Monday.

Using or selling a fake vaccination card is already illegal because falsifying a federal seal is a federal crime. Vaccine cards have two seals, one from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and one from the Department of Health & Human Services.

New York has a similar law.