Lawmaker explains bill to end personal choice exemptions for vaccines

In the midst of a measles resurgence, a state lawmaker from Everett has introduced a bill to remove the personal belief exemption for vaccines.

Rep. June Robinson joined KIRO Radio’s Jason Rantz Show to explain her timing and why she feels her bill is important.

Listen: Rep. June Robinson’s full interview

“We thought these diseases were gone for good and now we’re realizing they’re not because so many people are choosing not to immunize.

“We all live in communities, whether we like it or not, and I think it’s our responsibility as citizens to not only be concerned about what we do for our own personal health, but how our actions affect those around us.”

Robinson said she knows there are critics who debate the science behind vaccines.

“We have spent years and years of research to prove that vaccines are safe. It’s sort of science versus myth and unfortunately, those myths persist, but vaccines are safe,” she said.

Robinson’s bill would preserve the religious and medical exemptions.

She said the proposal taps into the fundamental role of government and that is to “protect the health of our communities.”

“Having almost all of our children vaccinated is important for protecting the health of our communities. Otherwise we wouldn’t be having these infectious childhood diseases coming back,” she said.

Robinson doesn’t believe simply telling parents their children can’t go to school if they’re not vaccinated would stand up against the state’s constitution, which says Washington must provide public education to all citizens.

As for enforcement, Robinson said if a parent insists on refusing vaccines, the child won’t be allowed to come to school unless they could prove a religious or medical reason.

“It would have to go to the courts. I don’t know how that would be decided.”

She said she’s heard critics are concerned mandated vaccines are a slippery slope that eventually will lead to the government forcing citizens to take medications or agree to procedures.

“I think vaccines are a public health issue, a preventive issue. I don’t see it expanding beyond vaccines,” she said.

Robinson said she knows she’ll get support when the bill gets its hearing, likely in a few weeks.

Robinson introduced House Bill 2009 the same day California lawmakers introduced a measure that would require all school children to be vaccinated unless a child’s health is in danger.

The Seattle Times has reported vaccine exemptions exceeded 10 percent at 86 schools in King and Snohomish counties for the 2011-2012 school year, which was the latest data from the Department of Health.

In those counties, the Times reported 85 percent of exemptions were granted for personal/philosophical reasons and 3 percent for religious beliefs. The other 12 percent of exemptions were for medical reasons.

Gov. Jay Inslee has said he supports Robinson’s bill and that it’s an important strategy to improve vaccination rates in Washington state.