The West Virginia Bureau for Public Health met its Feb. 1 deadline to submit to the governor a plan to allow religious exemptions for school-age children in the state’s vaccine law. (Getty Images)
The first step in Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s plan to allow religious exemptions to the state’s school vaccine laws is apparently done, but his administration did not release the details Monday.
The West Virginia Bureau for Public Health met its Feb. 1 deadline to submit a plan for the exemptions to the governor’s office and the plan is being reviewed, according to spokespeople for Morrisey and the state Department of Health.
Neither office responded to a request for a copy of the plan.
“[The plan] outlines the necessary steps for ensuring individuals can exercise their right to opt-out of the vaccination requirement based on sincerely held religious or conscientious beliefs,” Annie Moore, director of communications for the state Office of Shared Administration said in an email to West Virginia Watch. “We are committed to ensuring that public health policies remain fair and accessible while respecting individual rights.”
In an executive order last month, Morrisey directed the Bureau for Public Health and the State Health Officer to come up with the plan and any necessary rules and proposed legislation to allow families to object to school vaccine requirements on religious or moral grounds.
West Virginia does not currently have a state health officer.
Former state health officer Dr. Matt Christiansen resigned in December after nearly two years on the job. Former Gov. Jim Justice said at the time he would allow Morrisey to appoint an official to take Christiansen’s place.
Every state requires school-age children to be vaccinated for certain contagious diseases like measles and chickenpox. West Virginia has been among only five that allow only medical exemption to vaccine requirements. Strong immunization laws have been credited with keeping the state’s vaccination rates high and preventing outbreaks of measles and other diseases.
The state’s Republican-led Legislature tried for years to water down the state’s vaccination requirements. Last year after both bodies passed a bill allowing private and parochial schools to develop their own vaccine requirements, former Gov. Jim Justice vetoed the legislation.
Morrisey’s order also asked for the number of people who have filed written objections to the state’s compulsory vaccination requirements.
Medical experts spoke against Morrisey’s announcement last month that he would implement religious exemptions through the state’s 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act. The law says the government may not “substantially burden” a person’s constitutional right to freedom of religion unless doing so “is essential to further a compelling governmental interest.”
The executive order said for the purposes of the exemption process, a “writing signed by the objector shall be sufficient proof to establish the objection.” The plan could have provided more details on the exemption process.
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