The state Legislature of West Virginia, led by the GOP, has opted to exempt learners who are not part of traditional public schools from the state's vaccination requirements.
West Virginia Approves Bill Concerning Child Vaccination Laws
On Saturday, West Virginia's Republican-dominated state Legislature voted to permit certain students not enrolled in traditional public schools to be exempt from the state's stringent vaccination requirements, which have long been considered among the strictest in the nation.
Despite opposition from Republican Senate Health and Human Resources Chair Mike Maroney, a trained doctor, who labeled the bill as "an embarrassment" and expressed concerns about potential harm to the state, the Senate passed the bill with an 18-12 vote.
The House had previously approved a version of the bill in February, and on the last day of the state's 60-day legislative session, the Senate swiftly gave its approval.
Maroney, emphasizing his oath to do no harm, vehemently opposed the bill, considering it a setback for West Virginia with anticipated negative consequences.
The state, grappling with low life expectancy rates and a significant child poverty rate, is one of only two, alongside California, that does not allow nonmedical exemptions to vaccination requirements for school entry.
Mississippi followed a similar policy until July, when a judge permitted religious beliefs as grounds for exemptions from state-mandated vaccinations for daycare or school attendance.
Children's Vaccination Policies: Exceptions to Immunization
The newly proposed vaccine law, now awaiting consideration by Republican Governor Jim Justice, grants exemptions to virtual public school students and allows private and parochial schools to establish their vaccination policies.
However, students engaged in competitive school activities, including sports, remain obligated to be vaccinated.
The bill also shields private schools from lawsuits based on exemption decisions, provided they annually inform families of the policy.
Originally intended to eliminate vaccine requirements for students in public virtual schools, the bill evolved in a House committee to empower private schools to set their vaccination standards, excluding students participating in sanctioned athletics.
A religious exemption clause, initially included, was removed in the Senate.
During a Senate Health Committee meeting, Dr. Alvin Moss of West Virginia University School of Medicine argued for the bill, asserting that the state's current compulsory vaccination policy lacks medical ethics by not allowing informed consent.
Driven by a growing number of parents opposing vaccinations, the anti-vaccine group West Virginians for Health Freedom saw its membership increase from 300 families in 2017 to at least 3,000 in 2024.
In the meeting, former West Virginia Republican Delegate Chanda Adkins, a group member, advocated for the rights of religious families opposing vaccination, while former West Virginia Medical Association Dr. Lisa Costello maintained that the state's current vaccine policy is considered the national standard for routine child immunizations.
West Virginia mandates vaccinations for various diseases but does not require COVID-19 vaccinations.
Related Article: West Virginia Lawmakers Approves HB 5105 Granting Religious Exemptions from Vaccines
