Washington Senate passes bill quashing vaccine exemptions

The Washington state Senate narrowly passed a measure late Wednesday that would make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children against the measles in response to the state’s worst measles outbreak in more than two decades.

The bill, which would eliminate personal or philosophical exemptions from the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, is a victory for public health advocates who had not expected it to make it to the floor.

The measure passed 25 to 22 in the Democratic-controlled chamber, after being brought to the floor just minutes before the legislative deadline. No Republicans voted in favor, and two Democrats voted against.

The bill is expected to pass the House, where a nearly identical measure was approved last month, and be signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat. It would be the first time in four years that a state has removed personal exemptions in the face of growing anti-vaccine sentiment. California and Vermont removed personal exemptions in 2015. Other states have tightened vaccine requirements but have not removed exemptions.

The bill’s 11th-hour passage in the state Senate comes as the resurgent disease approaches record numbers and other states weigh similar legislation to close loopholes or eliminate personal or religious exemptions from vaccination requirements.

Inslee, who pushed lawmakers to support the measure, is also running for president on a platform centered on evidence-based science and climate change. The vaccine debate has pitted advocates of science and public health, who reflect the majority of Americans who support vaccinations, against a minority of antivaccine activists, who raise issues of personal choice and false claims about vaccines.

The stricter rule would apply only to immunizations for measles, mumps and rubella. Parents would continue to be able to cite personal or philosophical exemptions to avoid other required school vaccinations for their children. Religious and medical exemptions will be allowed for all vaccinations, including MMR.

On Wednesday, New York City’s Board of Health extended its order to vaccinate everyone in four hard-hit ZIP codes in Brooklyn that are home to tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews after a group of parents brought a lawsuit.