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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Idaho Senate panel votes 5-4 to introduce Foreman’s bill making immunization waivers easier

Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho Senate panel has narrowly agreed to introduce legislation allowing parents to opt out of vaccinating their children with a simple letter rather than using a state form. Sen. Dan Foreman, a Republican from Moscow, argued Tuesday that the bill clarifies state law and does not discourage parents from using existing state or school forms to opt out of vaccines. Supporters of the bill include Health Freedom Idaho, an organization against vaccinations. Senate Health and Welfare Committee members spent more than an hour debating the merits of the bill before voting 5-4 to send the bill to a full hearing. Sen. Lee Heider, chairman of the panel, warned the bill would cause confusion for schools in the event officials need to send students home due to a disease outbreak. According to the Department of Health and Welfare, Idaho has some of the highest exemption rates in the nation.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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