No Vaccine Exemption Bill This Year

Thu, February 02, 2012

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AP / Fletcher Powell

A bill that would expand the number of exemptions allowed for parents who don’t want their children to be immunized apparently will not go to a vote this year.

State Rep. Brenda Landwehr of Wichita said Wednesday that she doesn’t intend to have the House Health and Human Services Committee work on the bill. She said she sees little support on the committee for allowing more exemptions from mandatory immunizations.

The bill drew a large crowd for a public hearing two weeks ago. Dozens of parents said they wanted to be allowed to reject the immunizations for reasons of personal conscience. But health officials told the committee that mandatory vaccine laws are critical to stopping the spread of disease.