NEW JERSEY—Advocates for a bill to eliminate religious exemptions to vaccines—cited by an estimated 14,000 students statewide—vowed to reintroduce the measure soon after coming up one vote short in the last legislative session Jan. 13 after hundreds of vocal anti-vaccine parents and supporters rallied against its passage.
The increase in unvaccinated children has jumped more than 600 percent from a decade ago, warned health officials, with measles cases also increasing nationally and a regional outbreak in nearby Rockland County, New York, in early 2019.
Opponents said the bill violated their constitutional rights by requiring them to vaccinate their children against their will.
Many opponents charge that vaccinations may cause more harm than good, though medical professionals vouch for the value of vaccines to prevent a variety of childhood infectious diseases, which may turn deadly if left untreated.
Despite several last-minute attempts to reach a compromise by allowing parents to send unvaccinated children to private schools, which would be required to disclose rates of unvaccinated children, a vote on the bill did not occur because the Senate was one vote short of passage, said legislative leaders.
In addition, sponsors said, apparently the last-minute changes to the bill allowing unvaccinated children to attend private schools or daycare caused other senators to express reservations that only affluent parents could afford to send children to private schools.
State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), a bill co-sponsor, said getting the bill passed remains a priority in 2020 due to pressing public health concerns.
“Though I understand the passion of those opposed, fundamentally, this is not a personal choice, and in society it is the duty of healthy members to work together to protect those who cannot protect themselves,” Weinberg said in a statement.
She said she would not stop pressing to eliminate religious exemptions to vaccines.
In New Jersey, parents need only write a letter saying they have religious exemptions to have children exempted. No specific objections were required to be listed.
Weinberg has publicly said that no major religion she’s aware of is opposed to vaccinations. The state also does not allow “personal choice” exemptions, as some states permit.
‘Science is settled’
“The science is settled. They can stand outside and ring sirens and beat pots and believe what they want to believe but our responsibility is to protect the larger residents of the state of New Jersey,” Weinberg told reporters after Jan. 13’s cancelled vote.
Last year, measles cases reportedly reached the highest levels in nearly three decades nationwide—and the number of unvaccinated children continues to climb every year, said federal health officials.
Measles cases in the United States soared to a record in 2019, with 1,276 cases in 31 states, the most since 1992, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Two states—Maine and New York—recently passed laws ending religious exemptions to vaccines. California, Mississippi and West Virginia already have such laws.
If a bill is eventually passed and signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy, New Jersey would become the sixth state nationwide to allow only medical exemptions to vaccines for children entering public schools.
The bill allows the state Department of Health to define what qualifies for a medical exemption for vaccines.
More people citing religious exemption
A recent study by the New Jersey Hospital Association found that families claiming religious exemptions for vaccines has increased 53 percent statewide in the last five years.
Currently, 45 states allow parents to cite religion as a reason to avoid the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, and others. Critics note New Jersey law did not require parents to state a specific religious teaching that prohibits vaccinations, or get confirmation from a religious leader.
This makes the religious exemption an easy-out for anti-vaccination believers, critics said.
‘Go to war’
“We’re ready to go to war over this,” state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) told reporters after Jan. 13’s final 2019 voting session at the Statehouse. “We will pass this bill. This is about public health. It’s about protecting people.”
Neither the state Senate nor Assembly took up the revised bill Jan. 13—which allowed private daycare and schools to accept unvaccinated children—mainly due to the Senate’s inability to muster 21 votes to pass the measure.
Both state chambers are required to approve the revised bill before sending it to Gov. Phil Murphy for his signature.
Murphy has not said publicly whether he opposes or supports the legislation.
Efforts to pass the bill ending religious exemptions have occurred at least four times since mid-December, with hundreds of anti-vaccination advocates jamming meetings and protesting loudly at bill hearings.
Most Americans pro-vaccine
Nationwide, polls show between 86 to 90 percent of Americans support childhood vaccinations, though support appears weakest among people ages 30–49.
Most Americans believe the vaccinations are not more dangerous than the diseases they prevent, according to recent surveys.
Health authorities and medical professionals note that more than 90 percent of children need to be vaccinated to protect those individuals who cannot be vaccinated, such as babies and individuals with compromised immune systems.
According to the World Health Organization, skepticism about vaccines was listed among the top 10 “global health threats” of 2019.
Should the bill be reintroduced, approved and signed by Murphy, it will take effect in six months.
Asked about the bill in December, Murphy would not comment on pending legislation but said “the safety of all nine million residents is job number one for me, and in particular our kids.”
