Colo. bill doesn’t strip vaccine exemptions
The CDC reports Colorado had the country’s lowest 2018-19 kindergarten vaccination rates, with 87.4% of children vaccinated.
In an attempt to raise Colorado’s low vaccination rate, state legislators have passed Senate Bill 163, known as the School Entry Immunization Bill. Online misinformation about how the legislation may affect those who oppose vaccinating their children is sparking confusion.
“Mandatory vaccines with no exemptions. Mandatory flu shots? Hah. Yea, no thanks. I legit thought the news about Colorado’s new vaccine bill was fake. Nope. It’s real,” virtual community Barefoot Five posted June 10 on Facebook.
Barefoot Five’s Facebook page has more than 1.1 million followers, and its post received thousands of reactions, shares and comments. Some commenters expressed their frustration with the Colorado Legislature, and others researched Barefoot Five’s claim.
Senate Bill 163 does not make immunization exemptions in Colorado a thing of the past; rather it changes the process by which parents and guardians can obtain them. Similar claims about how the bill will affect families’ choice to vaccinate their children have been debunked by FactCheck.org.
Barefoot Five has not returned USA TODAY’s request for comment.
The bill calls for new exemption procedures
Under Colorado’s current law, students must annually provide school districts with vaccination records, proof of medical exemption or a statement of nonmedical exemption. This statement of nonmedical exemption from parents and guardians must explain their reasoning based on personal or religious beliefs.
Senate Bill 163 still allows for nonmedical exemptions. It requires families to fill out a standardized form and follow a submission process to claim them.
Parents or guardians who want an immunization exemption can either submit a certificate of medical exemption with a medical professional’s signature, a nonmedical exemption certificate with a medical professional’s signature or a completion certificate from the state’s online module, the bill’s summary states.
The bill calls for the state’s Department of Education and Department of Human Services to update a standardized form with details on immunizations requirements annually. The requirements will be based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current recommendations.
Senate Bill 163 also requires every school publish its immunization and exemption rates for measles, mumps and rubella to students, parents and guardians each year.
If the bill becomes law, a state immunization tracking system will collect data on who has received the required vaccines and who has been exempt.
Colorado rates among lowest in the country
The CDC reports Colorado had the country’s lowest 2018-19 kindergarten vaccination rates, with 87.4% of children vaccinated.
“Being last in the country for our immunization rates was never acceptable,” Rep. Kyle Mullica said. “Senate Bill 163 will improve those rates, making our communities safer and I’m excited to see it become law.”
Senate Bill 163 seeks to bring Colorado’s immunization rate to 95% every school year. The bill was passed by the Colorado Senate in February and the House in June. Gov. Jared Polis said he plans to sign the bill, at which point it will become law.
Our ruling: False
We rate the claim that a new Colorado bill mandates all students be vaccinated without exemption FALSE because it is not supported by our research. Parents or guardians who oppose vaccinating their child due to religious or personal beliefs may obtain an exemption. The bill changes that procedure so those responsible adults must complete an online module or provide a certificate of nonmedical exemption signed by a medical professional.