Statewide Iowa (RI) — The Iowa House Education Committee has approved a bill that would eliminate all vaccination requirements for students in Iowa’s public K-12 schools.
Under current law, parents must provide the school nurse with proof their child has been vaccinated against polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, Hepatitis B, and chicken pox. A vaccination against meningitis is also required for students in grades 7–12.
Republican Representative Brooke Boden of Indianola says while parents may seek a medical or religious exemption from those requirements, that falls short of full autonomy.
Representative Heather Matson, a Democrat from Ankeny, opposes the bill.
Matson says the requirements are important to reach herd immunity and protect kids who cannot be vaccinated.
Boden says the bill lets parents make the decision about their child’s vaccinations.
Iowa medical groups say schools are places where illnesses spread quickly, and ending the vaccination requirements will lead to more Iowans getting sick with preventable diseases.
All 50 states currently require children to be vaccinated against certain diseases in order to attend public schools, but most allow medical and religious exemptions.
KIWA Staff Photo
