Bipartisan coalition defeats governor’s child vaccine exemption bill
By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV
The Republican-dominated House of Delegates voted 42-56 to defeat a proposed bill from Governor Patrick Morrisey which would have opened new exemptions to the state’s child vaccine law.
Morrisey first proposed the policy via executive order in January. The Senate then passed the bill in February, adding new exemptions for religious, philosophical, and medical reasons.
The bill languished in the House for several weeks, before reemerging last week in the Health Committee. There, delegates scaled back the bill to remove religious and philosophical exemptions. Instead, they solely expanded the medical exemption process to allow a child’s own physician to exempt them from mandatory vaccinations.
Late last week, the full House voted narrowly to reinsert the religious exemption. A simple parent’s note requesting exemption from vaccination would suffice according to the amendment proposed by Del. David Green, R-McDowell.
On Monday, after more than two hours of debate, 47 Republicans joined together with 9 Democrats to defeat the bill. Two delegates did not vote–Speaker Roger Hanshaw and Majority Leader Pat McGeehan.
The state’s three most recent health officers–Cathy Slemp, Ayne Amjad, & Matthew Christiansen–sent delegates a joint letter over the weekend saying, “Freedom isn’t free.” They argued that the financial and public health costs far outweigh the benefit of adding new exemptions.
“Weakening these laws will not return us to the rampant disease rates of yesteryear, but will result in some fully preventable disease, birth defects, outbreaks, and yes–on rare but devastating occasions–deaths.”
Democrats also pointed to polling conducted by the WV Chamber of Commerce which showed more than 80% of West Virginians opposed weakening state vaccine laws for children and believe vaccines are a safe and effective public health tool. Sen. Tom Takubo (R-Kanawha) referenced similar polling in debate last month.
Brian Dayton, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy for the WV Chamber said on X after the vote, “I am beyond proud of the WV House and so many good members.”
Del. Evan Worrell (R-Cabell) chairs the Health Committee. “This is how a deliberative body should work,” he said of the process that brought delegates to the point, including multiple changes. He then argued in favor of passing the bill.
“If vaccines work, why do we need herd immunity?” he asked. “Patients need to make informed decisions for themselves.”
Immediately after, delegates voted to defeat the bill they had just amended two days before. The speaker and the majority leader were both absent.
“In an era of intense political polarization, this vote proves that our House can still find common ground on issues of vital importance,” said Del. John Williams, D-Monangalia.
Stay tuned to RealWV for further updates to public health policies under consideration by the legislature, which could include amendments reinserting vaccine exemption language.
