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Committee advances bill allowing parents to provide vaccine religious exemptions directly to schools
Summary
Senator Orr’s bill, which would let parents submit religious-exemption notices directly to local schools rather than the county health department, drew objections about outbreak tracking and was reported favorably with several abstentions.
Senator Orr, sponsor of SB 85, told the committee the bill would allow parents to provide a written religious-exemption notice directly to their child’s school rather than obtaining a certificate from the county public health department. Orr said the current process requires parents to visit the public health office where they can be questioned about beliefs and in some localities were charged a fee.
Orr read a list of states that allow parents to submit a written exemption directly to schools as examples of existing practice in other jurisdictions. He argued the change would respect parental religious objections and remove what he described as an intrusive step in the county health-office process.
Aprille Hartsfield, Alabama Kids Count director with Voices for Alabama’s Children, testified in opposition. “Our concern about this bill is the effect it will likely have on the population of children at large in our state, especially children who are immunosuppressed and infants too young for vaccinations,” she said. Hartsfield told senators the current reporting system helps health officials identify where outbreaks occur and deploy resources.
Senator Hatcher asked for clarification about tracking and whether the state’s central immunization registry would continue to identify vaccinated children and those without vaccinations; testimony acknowledged a state database exists for vaccinations but said existing practice for exemptions stops at a local level and that the bill could reduce visibility on who is unvaccinated.
Senator Shownate moved a favorable report; Senator Price seconded. The committee recorded the bill as passing out of committee with six favorable votes and two abstentions, and the chair announced the bill through the favorable report.
Votes at a glance: SB 85 — favorable report (moved by Senator Shownate; seconded by Senator Price). Tally: 6 yes, 0 no, 2 abstentions (as announced by the committee chair).
