West Virginia Gov. Justice vetoes bill that would have loosened school vaccine policies

By LEAH WILLINGHAM
Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice broke with the GOP-majority Legislature to veto a bill that would have loosened one of the country’s strictest school vaccination policies. West Virginia is only one of a handful of states in the U.S. that offers only medical exemptions to vaccine requirements. The bill, vetoed Wednesday, would have allowed some students who don’t attend traditional public institutions or participate in group extracurriculars like sports to be exempt from vaccinations typically required for children starting day care or school. In a letter explaining the veto, Justice said kids are the state’s future and its most important resource.