After debate of almost two hours, delegates voted for several exemptions to vaccine requirements in West Virginia schools.
House Bill 5105 first removed vaccine requirements for students attending virtual public schools, then was expanded to allow private schools to adopt their own policies and then was opened up to parents citing religious reasons to opt out of vaccination requirements at any school in the state.
“We have rights. We have the Constitution,” said Delegate Laura Kimble, R-Harrison, the lead sponsor of what she called “a little bill with a little change to a mandate.”
The bill passed 57-41 and now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
Advocates for the exceptions cited the possibility of religious objections among some families, a belief that government powers should be curtailed and the rights of parents to make decisions for their children.
Kimble described a societal move to “coercive medical procedures.” She said the arguments against the exceptions amount to a belief that “herd immunity is crucial, so important in fact that the state of West Virginia should continue to use the force of law to coerce parents to have their children vaccinated without exceptions or exemptions.”
She continued, “The stated reason to require most vaccinations of children, public safety, which can only be achieved by herd immunity is disingenuous, illogical and ultimately contrary to what we claim to be most important.”
Measles has seen a resurgence in the news recently with the situation of an elementary school in Florida experiencing cases among six students.
Delegates who spoke against the bill said society is better able to slow the spread of communicable disease when most people are vaccinated.
Delegate Mark Zatezalo, R-Hancock, noted that pediatricians “have a genuine, heartfelt worry about children’s health.”
“If we can make children’s lives better we need to lean in that direction,” Zatezalo said, “and that’s why I’ll oppose this bill.”
Vaccines work, said Delegate Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia.
“This amendment is not about religious freedoms. It’s not about right. It’s a way for us to circumvent the issue of vaccines,” Hamilton said. “If your children catch something, they’re going to take it home to the family.”
As of now, the West Virginia Department of Education boasts that the state has one of the most effective school-entry vaccine preventable laws in the nation: “The vaccination laws have proven to improve attendance rates for students and staff while ensuring children stay healthy, safe and ready to learn.”
West Virginia students entering school for the first time must show proof of immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and hepatitis B, unless properly medically exempted.
In recent days, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department distributed a written opinion by health officer Steven Eshenaur.
“If you are anti-vaccination, you are pro-disease. It’s as simple as that. If you are anti-vaccination, you want to weaken or eliminate laws that protect all of our children. There is no other way to see it,” Eshenaur wrote.
“Speak up, West Virginians, and tell our legislators not to join what I call ‘Politicians for Polio.’ It escapes sound reasoning why anyone would want to weaken childhood immunization laws.”
Delegate Eric Brooks, R-Raleigh, cited the first of the 10 Commandments of the Old Testament: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
“How about the god of government? I don’t see the god of government coming before the lord thy god,” Brooks said.
He acknowledged that people have different religious beliefs that might not even recognize such scripture. But, he said, “I know what my religion means to me.”
Then, turning that to the question of vaccines, he asked: “What would the government have to do to cause you to say ‘I will not do that; that violates my religious beliefs?’”
