Senators are on the verge of passing a bill providing religious and philosophical exemptions to West Virginia’s school vaccination requirements after they rejected an amendment to allow private schools to maintain current standards and another that would have kept requirements for the polio vaccine.
SB 460, introduced on behalf of the governor, would allow religious exemptions to the state’s school vaccinations if parents or legal guardians object on legal grounds.
To qualify for the exemption, families would submit an annual written statement requesting a religious or philosophical exemption about required vaccines.
The bill could pass the Senate as soon as Wednesday. It still would need to pass the House of Delegates to complete the legislative process.
Senators considered several proposed amendments during a Tuesday floor session.
Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, was involved with several of the amendments. Speaking on MetroNews’ “Talkline,” Woelfel argued that the bill would compel private and parochial schools to accept both vaccinated and unvaccinated children, potentially infringing on the religious freedom of those institutions.
“Let’s protect the parents right to, to decide whether their child will go to a school with kids that are vaccinated or unvaccinated,” Woefel said on “Talkline.”
On the Senate floor, Woelfel collaborated with Senator Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, to offer an amendment to allow private and parochial schools to abide by current requirements, potentially opting out of the exemptions.
Weld argued, “It allows them to exercise their religious freedom while operating their school.
That amendment was defeated, 10-21 with three absences.
COMMENTARY BY T.J. MEADOWS: SB 460 oversteps in attempt to regulate private and parochial school vaccination decisions
Woelfel also offered an amendment saying the exemptions would not apply to the polio vaccine.
Polio is an infectious viral disease that primarily affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis ranging from mild weakness to complete loss of muscle function.
“Polio is a demon. Are we going to give polio a chance to come back in West Virginia?” he asked. “I think we will based on the votes I’ve seen.”
He added, “Go ahead and make polio great again. Give polio a chance.”
Senator Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, asked if Woelfel has researched how the polio vaccine is made. “Do you know how many aborted fetal cells are used in development of the polio vaccine?” Rucker asked.
Many commonly used vaccines originated in cell lines that were first developed from an aborted fetus, typically from the 1960s, because viruses being researched grow better in cells from humans than animals. Those lines are still in use but because cells continue to grow the production of vaccines does not require new sources of fetal tissue.
However, the polio vaccine was developed from the cells of a grown woman, Henrietta Lacks, in 1951, without her knowledge or consent. Her cells, known as HeLa cells, were able to divide and replicate indefinitely. The cells were used to test the effectiveness of the Salk polio vaccine.
“I’m kind of shocked at the kinds of things I have learned about how these vaccines are created,” Rucker said.
Woelfel concluded his argument by saying, “I’ve seen what polio has done. Respectfully, I urge you to vote yes in favor of the amendment.”
The amendment was defeated 12-19 with three absences.
Senator Joey Garcia, D-Marion, offered an amendment to require reports on the number of students who have an exemption, the number of students who go to the school and the percentage of students who are unvaccinated.
This provision was in the governor’s originally introduced bill and was taken out of the original bill by the Senate Health Committee.
Health Chairwoman Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, spoke against the proposal. She said people in small communities would be able to figure out who is not vaccinated, and those kids would be ridiculed.
Senator Tom Willis, R-Berkeley, said keeping such records would be a burden on schools.
“It seems like more red tape, and it’s a form of taxation in my opinion,” Willis said.
Garcia said people like teachers have a right to know the level of a school population opting out of vaccination.
“If this is the policy give the citizens the information to make a decision about their health and their lives,” Garcia said.
The amendment was defeated, 9-22 with three absences