Parson says he won’t require vaccine passports in Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Mike Parson says he won't require what are known as vaccine passports in Missouri.

But Parson told reporters Thursday that he's OK with private companies adopting them.

Vaccine passports are documentation that shows travelers have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus.

Technology companies and travel-related trade groups are developing and testing out vaccine passports to encourage travel.

Some Republican lawmakers in Missouri have raised concerns with the concept of health certificates or travel passes.

They say requiring the documents would infringe on people's right to travel and want to ban them.