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The Alabama Senate passed a bill that would revise the process for students seeking religious exemptions from vaccinations.
SB85, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, proposes that parents or guardians of K-12 students no longer need to go through county health departments to receive a Certificate of Religious Exemption.
“All we’re doing is taking out that middle step,” said Orr.
Under the proposed legislation, they could simply provide a written statement to the local board of education declaring that they are exempt from vaccination or testing requirements for religious reasons. This exemption would not require an explanation or third-party certification.
SB85 extends religious exemptions to public institutions of higher education, which previously were not covered under existing laws. Students at colleges and universities could submit a similar written statement declaring their religious exemption from vaccination or testing requirements, without needing to justify their decision or obtain third-party validation. The bill also removes the clause that previously limited religious exemptions during epidemics or imminent health threats.
The bill’s proponents argue that it respects parental rights and religious freedoms by eliminating any need for further inquiry into an individual’s beliefs. However, critics express concerns that the relaxation of vaccination requirements could endanger public health, especially given Alabama’s slight decline in vaccination rates.
Public health experts have warned of the potential for outbreaks of preventable diseases, noting that herd immunity requires vaccinating at least 95 percent of the population.
Democrats on the floor spoke against the bill, saying it could endanger people.
Orr pointed out that some county health departments were charging a fee to give an individual their exemption forms. Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, expressed concern with individuals not sharing their vaccination status with county health departments from an overall public health standpoint.
“I guess what I’m really perplexed by is the removal from the county health department. Now, I see not charging, but I think the purpose of that request from the county health department is making sure that things can be tracked,” said Coleman. “I’m just wondering if the health department was the correct place so at least you can track who is not being vaccinated in the event of some kind of outbreak.”
Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said that we should be more conscious of protecting students who are learning alongside unvaccinated students.
“I talked to someone about the inconvenience of a parent to go and get that extra form to do this or the inconvenience of a parent to go through that. Well, what about the inconvenience of a parent when their child gets sick unnecessarily because someone else came in and refused to be responsible for their medical needs,” said Singleton.
The bill was also read in the House on Thursday and referred to the House Health Committee.
