Oregon House to vote on controversial vaccine bill

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon House is set to vote on tougher rules for childhood vaccinations as the nation faces the highest number of measles cases since 1994.

The Joint Committee on Ways and Means voted 13-7 Friday to make routine childhood vaccinations a condition of attending Oregon public schools unless a student has a doctor’s note. The measure will now go to the House for full consideration.

Lawmakers grappled with where to draw the line between public safety and individual rights as hundreds of parents flooded the Capitol this week to voice their opposition. Legislators say they were flooded with at least 2,000 emails from the opposition before the Friday vote.

Unvaccinated children would still be able to attend online school under the bill, but they could not go to in-person school-related activities.

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News release from Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend:

Bill Ending Nonmedical Vaccination Exemptions Clears Last Committee Hurdle

Salem, Ore – This morning, House Bill 3063A passed out of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means and will move to the House floor for a vote. The bill would end nonmedical vaccination exemptions for attending K-12 schools in Oregon; and is crucial to protecting public health in Oregon schools.

One of the bill’s chief sponsors, Rep. Cheri Helt (R-Bend) has continued to advocate for its passage throughout the legislative process.

“I am encouraged to see that House Bill 3063A has passed out of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means today,” Helt said. “This bill is about protecting public health and the safety of Oregon students. We are currently experiencing the largest measles outbreak in our nation since the disease was declared eradicated in 2000.”

“Passing this bill would be an important step forward in providing preventative health care in Oregon,” she added. “I hope my colleagues in the House and Senate agree with me and vote to pass this vital legislation.”