West Virginia Legislature kicked off its 60-day regular session on Wednesday, with the House of Delegates approving new rules that eliminated the need for hearings on bills. The Senate introduced 299 bills and referred them to committees, with a focus on vaccine legislation. Senate Health Committee Chair, Laura Chapman, announced plans to discuss a bill allowing religious or moral exemptions to school vaccine requirements. Currently, the state only allows medical exemptions. Chapman argued that the process for exemptions is complicated and unfair. The state Bureau for Public Health reported 53 requests for medical exemptions in 2023, with some being denied. The push for these changes comes after Governor Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order allowing religious exemptions to vaccine requirements. The legislation, if passed, would make West Virginia one of many states allowing religious exemptions. Despite the Senate’s efforts, the House Health Committee is not scheduled to address vaccine-related bills next week. The bill aims to respect religious beliefs and provide more flexibility for parents regarding vaccination requirements for schools and daycare centers in the state.
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