Former First Ladies Rosalynn Carter and Betty Bumpers urge Utah lawmakers to boost early childhood immunizations

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and Betty Bumpers, co‑founders of Every Child By Two, addressed the Utah House during a Committee of the Whole and urged lawmakers to take action to improve immunization rates for very young children.

Carter said much of the problem stems from parents waiting until school age to immunize because school requirements differ by state and enforcement varies. "In this state, it's 42 percent of the 2 year olds immunized," Carter said, and she urged policies to register children at birth and track vaccinations with a computerized system so clinics and public health programs can follow up earlier. She also suggested requiring insurance companies to cover immunizations.

Bumpers, credited in the remarks with earlier national work that helped make school‑age immunizations universal, reinforced the appeal for sustained leadership and partnerships. "She developed a program in Arkansas that became a model for the whole country," a speaker in the House said of Bumpers' past work; both women emphasized tenacity and collaboration among government, providers and community groups to protect children from preventable diseases.

Members thanked the guests and dissolved the Committee of the Whole after the remarks; the floor returned to remaining legislative business. The women noted ongoing outreach across the state and urged lawmakers to consider system‑level fixes such as birth registration and insurer coverage to increase early immunization rates.