Committee backs bill letting adult students opt out of campus vaccine proof

The House Special Committee on Education on Feb. 17 advanced House Bill 2,058 as amended, adopting a strike‑everything amendment that directs higher‑education institutions to fully disclose immunization requirements and to accept documented personal‑belief or medical exemptions from adult students.

The amendment, described to the committee by committee staffer Chase, requires a higher education institution that demands documentary proof of immunization or immunity to disclose those requirements and exemptions to prospective students. The amendment also requires institutions to exempt an adult student from documentary‑proof requirements if the student submits a personal‑belief exemption or a medical exemption containing the prescribed information.

Sponsor Representative Elizabeth Fink framed the bill as protecting "informed consent," saying the measure is "a common sense bill for students, adult students, to exercise their right to informed consent." She described a personal family situation involving a daughter and a disputed rabies vaccine requirement while attending a private certificate program.

Public comment split along public‑health and individual‑rights lines. Ashley Chambers of Arizona Families for Vaccines opposed the bill, arguing it would risk patient safety in clinical settings and campus living situations and cited current university MMR requirements; she told the committee, "We strongly oppose HB 2,058 because it's dangerous for college students." Proponents included Keelan Cole, a nurse who described pressure she felt in nursing school when clinical partners required COVID and flu shots; Cole said she "stayed strong" in asserting her exemptions and later completed clinicals and graduated. Anna Van Hoek and Paula Obaid also urged the committee to protect students who seek exemptions for health or conscience reasons.

After discussion, the committee first voted to adopt the Fink strike‑everything amendment. The committee then moved to return HB 2,058 as amended with a due pass recommendation. On the roll call the committee recorded seven ayes, four noes and one present; the clerk announced HB 2,058 as amended received a due‑pass recommendation.

What the amendment does not change is that institutions may continue to set vaccine requirements for on‑site clinical placements; the amendment requires disclosure of those requirements and an exemption process for adult students who follow the exemption procedures spelled out in the text. Follow up questions from committee members focused on clinical rotations, which speakers warned involve vulnerable patient populations and are sometimes controlled by hospital partners rather than the school.

The measure now moves to the full House process with the committee recommendation. Recorded vote totals in committee: yes 7, no 4, present 1.