The Montana House defeated a series of bills aimed at increasing parental vaccine rights. Montana is nearly at the border of the state of Washington, whereas a measles outbreak is underway.
Rep. Theresa Manzella House Bill 575 helped parents with religious exemptions enroll their children in daycare. This would have eliminated basic vaccine coverage in daycares, something no other state currently allows.
Manzella’s second bill, House Bill 574, would have prevented foster homes from disallowing religiously-exempt unvaccinated children from care. Medical exemptions do not disallow children.
Rep. David Dunn, R-Kalispell’s House Bill 564, also defeated, would have prevented the state’s health department from helping schools investigate vaccine exemption legitimacy. Dunn said that the $4 billion in annual vaccine injury claims is evidence enough for his bill.
“The medical-industrial complex has failed to protect our nation’s children, and parents and popular culture bully people who disagree on the topic, screaming ‘science’ while they repeat cliche propaganda,” Dunn said, per the Missoulian.
On the national front, the war on vaccine exemptions remains at an all-time high. And the divisions between both sides continue to stretch.
Oh my gosh the bodies pressed against the fence totally reminded me of many scenes from The Walking Dead. The “outbreak” is in the Southwest corner of WA; I would hardly call that close to Montana. I think the total cases ended up being in the low 70s, although at least three were misdiagnosed and the rash was a result of the MMR vaccine. One hospitalization, no deaths.
Our states are much larger out here. The outbreak in Clarkston, Washington is a long way from the border of Idaho AND Montana. Idaho and even N. California are closer to the outbreak.
Montana does NOT border Washington state
Good pick up, Ingri! Noted and corrected. Thanks!