Vaccination Bill Moves Out Of Committee

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – The Mississippi Health Department could lose its role in deciding whether a child can skip a mandatory vaccination.

House Bill 130 passed the House Education Committee on Tuesday and moves to the full House for more debate. It says a physician would not have to seek Health Department approval to grant a vaccine exemption for medical reasons.

The bill originally would have let a parent or guardian cite personal beliefs to seek an exemption for a child’s mandated vaccinations. The updated bill removes personal beliefs and limits exemptions to medical reasons.

The state health officer, Dr. Mary Currier, says the Health Department granted all 135 medical exemptions that people requested for the 2014-15 school year.

Children must show proof of vaccination before entering school or day care in Mississippi.