Delegates got cracking on consideration of a bill providing religious and philosophical exemptions to West Virginia's school vaccination requirements.
The bill passed overwhelmingly out of the state Senate on Friday.
On Monday afternoon, the House Health Committee took the bill right up and, during a meeting that lasted more than five hours, heard public comment. About a dozen people were signed up to speak.
This year's committee process means discussion of the bill is one day and consideration of passage is another. So there has not yet been a vote on advancing the bill from the House Health Committee.
Dr. Matthew Christiansen, the state's former public health officer, made several proposals to revise the bill as it currently stands.
He suggested reinstating data collection from the bill the governor originally proposed, allowing private schools to set their own requirements, ensuring licensed providers for medical exemptions and making sure local health departments are fully funded.
"But first, I want to say very clearly, vaccines are safe. They're time tested, and the benefits clearly outweigh the risks," said Christiansen, who is now vice president and chief medical officer of Valley Health Systems based in Huntington.
"For almost all kids, their cost effective ways of preventing outbreaks and preventable diseases. For most children, adding these exemptions to the to this current bill increases the risk of outbreaks, but by how much? No one knows."
Almost all states except California, Mississippi, and West Virginia allow religious or philosophical exemptions for school vaccines, granting parents the ability to opt their children out of vaccinations based on sincerely held beliefs.
Right now, West Virginia students entering school for the first time must show proof of immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and hepatitis B unless properly medically exempted.
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 also would make it easier to get an exemption for medical reasons.
Dr. Alvin Moss, a nephrologist, emphasized the importance of informed consent and criticized mandatory vaccinations.
He said people who in a group called West Virginians for Health Freedom and others are counting on the West Virginia Legislature to support their constitutional rights.
"They're hoping that you will pass Senate Bill 460," he said, "so at least they'll have a choice and be able to exercise their constitutional rights."
Britney Brogan, a school nurse in Boone County and a former Democratic candidate for House of Delegates, was among those who spoke against the bill.
She asked about a risk versus benefit comparison: whether people want to risk the health of students and staff -- health, safety and the freedom to live -- over the religious, philosophical freedoms of others.
"I look at the rights of my students who are immunocompromised, they have the right to come to school and not have to worry about contracting preventable disease," she said.
Delegate Margitta Mazzocchi, R-Logan, said she sees the matter differently.
I'm saying that our parents should be educated and they should have the chance to say no."