Supreme Court Ruling Rolls Back Part Of St. Paul Vaccine Mandate

SAINT PAUL, MN — A new Supreme Court ruling has forced St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter to roll back part of his vaccine mandate.

Under the mandate that Carter announced Wednesday, workers at St. Paul bars, restaurants, and other eateries were required to follow vaccine-or-testing requirements originally drafted by President Joe Biden's administration.

However, Biden's restrictions on workers were struck down in the Supreme Court Thursday, forcing Carter to update his own mandate.

Now, Carter's mandate no longer requires workers at eateries in St. Paul to get vaccinated or submit to regular testing. However, the mandate still requires customers at those places to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test in order to enter.

• How To Prove You're Vaccinated In Minneapolis, St. Paul: LIST

It's not yet clear how the Supreme Court's ruling will impact Minneapolis' vaccine mandate.

Vaccine mandates in both cities will go into effect on Jan. 19 for venues that serve food but don't require a ticket. The policy will go into effect on Jan. 26 for ticketed events that serve food.

This vaccine mandate applies to places that serve food or drink, including:

• Indoor restaurant spaces, coffee shops, cafes within larger spaces (for example, museum cafes, gyms).
• Bars
• Sports venues that serve food or drink for onsite consumption
• Entertainment venues such as theaters and bowling alleys that serve food or drink for onsite consumption
• Conventions (if food is being served), catering halls and food courts (if the area is exclusive to a specific restaurant)

Exceptions to the mandate include:

• Children under age 5
• K-12 and early childcare settings
• Hospitals
• Congregate care facilities or other residential or healthcare facilities
• Locations that provide takeout service only
• Food or drink as part of a religious practice
• Outdoor spaces; grocery stores
• Convenience stores and other establishments that primarily sell food and other articles for offsite use except in seated dining areas within those stores
• Soup kitchens and other sites serving vulnerable populations

Wednesday's announcement comes about a week after both mayors reinstated an indoor mask mandate.