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Senator introduces bill to remove MMR religious exemption amid South Carolina measles outbreak
Summary
A senator introduced legislation to remove the religious exemption for the MMR vaccine for public school and daycare attendance, citing a large measles outbreak concentrated in Spartanburg County and urging the Legislature to act; the bill was referred to the Medical Affairs Committee.
A Senate bill introduced by Senator Matthews would amend state immunization law to remove the religious exemption for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine for children attending public schools and daycare centers. During introductory remarks, the sponsoring senator (McCollum) cited national and state case counts and warned that South Carolina had seen a sharp rise in measles cases.
"In 2025, there were 2,255 measles cases in The United States," the senator said in prepared remarks, and later asserted that South Carolina had reported 789 cases as of January 27, with the majority in Spartanburg County. The sponsor described hospitalizations, identified public exposure sites (mostly schools), and urged colleagues to act to protect children and adults.
The reading clerk referred the bill to the Medical Affairs Committee. Floor time was used for extended introductory remarks; the senator invited colleagues to propose alternatives if they did not support his bill.
The floor record shows the bill is at the introductory stage; committee hearings, expert testimony and technical drafting will be needed to reconcile public‑health data and statutory changes. No committee date was announced during the session.
