Attorney general: Tucson employee vaccine mandate is illegal

By JONATHAN J. COOPER and JACQUES BILLEAUD
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s attorney general says Tucson’s vaccine mandate for city employees is illegal. The decision Tuesday gives Tucson 30 days to repeal the mandate or lose millions of dollars in state funding. The city manager says he put the mandate on hold while Tucson develops its legal position. The attorney general cites a state law approved this summer banning local governments from mandating vaccines for their employees, which doesn’t take effect until later this month. He also cites an August executive order signed by Gov. Doug Ducey. A Pima County judge last month rejected a Tucson police union’s challenge of the vaccine mandate.