State Lawmakers Introduce Legislation To Eliminate Vaccine Requirements In Schools

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Iowa House lawmakers advanced legislation that would eliminate vaccine requirements for students in elementary or secondary school.

According to Iowa Public Radio, current law requires Iowa students be “vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles and rubella, hepatitis B, varicella and meningitis unless they are granted a medical or religious exemption.”

House File 2171 would eliminate the requirement.

“If you want to vaccinate your kids, then go for it. If you don’t want to, then don’t. Nothing in this bill stops parents from doing what’s best for their kids. The fear mongering is intended to intimidate parents from doing that they think is best. Don’t bow to these ppl,” said Rep. Zach Dieken, R-Granville.

“I just don’t understand why we’ve forced students or children to be vaccinated just to receive an education,” Dieken added.

“That’s something that ultimately comes back to the parent, and they know what’s best for their children,” he continued.

KCCI explained further:

Dieken authored the bill, which would also get rid of the requirement that a student’s vaccination history has to be given to their school.

Dieken says immunizations should be up to the parents. Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, says the vaccine requirements for Iowa kids need to remain.

“Requirements make a difference because people are more willing to do something when they know that they have to,” said Matson.

Blank Children’s Pediatric Clinic pediatrician Dr. Nathan Boonstra says in Iowa, there are vaccines required for kindergarten, seventh grade, and 12th grade.

He says a change in the requirements could lead to a domino effect.

“Anything that makes a vaccination level come down in schools increases the risks of outbreaks; increases the risk to these kids,” said Boonstra.

The bill passed out of a subcommittee and committee earlier this week.

Rep. Brooke Boden, R-Indianola, said at a subcommittee hearing that the exemptions to the vaccine requirements aren’t enough.

“You either really have to have a medical concern or you have to claim that you’re religious, and I think that’s coercing parents into a situation in which they’re not able to utilize their parental right [and] find the right vaccination schedule for their child,” Boden said, according to Iowa Public Radio.

“HF2171 passes out of the education committee today. It repeals vaccine mandates in order to be educated. Of course the left is fear mongering because their arguments don’t hold up to scrutiny. Ignore the gaslighting – take charge of your children’s health,” Dieken said.

Iowa Public Radio has more:

Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, said she strongly opposed the bill, calling it “one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation” to come through the Statehouse in recent years.

“Public health matters. This bill is dangerous for our kids, and I don’t know why we would be telling families in Iowa that we do not value public health or making sure that their kids are healthy,” she said.

The bill comes amid pushback to childhood vaccines at the federal level. Last month, federal officials announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will drop the number of broadly recommended vaccines down from 17 to 11, instead recommending that parents consult their child’s pediatrician to determine if their child should be vaccinated. The change affected vaccines for hepatitis B and meningitis, two of the shots currently required for Iowa children to attend school.

Some experts have pushed back against the CDC’s sudden change in guidance, which many states use to set their school vaccine requirements, saying the decision was made without the usual transparency and scientific evidence to support it.

Iowa lawmakers pointed to this recent change as evidence that support for vaccines may be changing.

“Regarding the science settled, I think maybe that deserves a little bit more conversation,” said Rep. Helena Hayes, R-Mahaska. “There’s a reason why the CDC went from it went from 17 to 11 childhood vaccines. Why is that? I wouldn’t exactly say the science is settled.”



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