New State Law Means It Will Be Harder For Students to Get Vaccine Exemptions

Gov. Christine Gregoire recently signed a bill to require medical consultations before students can be exempt from required vaccines, and Edmonds School District plans to comply.

Signed into law on May 11, Senate Bill 5005 requires parents to seek qualified medical counsel regarding immunization exemptions -- a change from the prior law that simply allowed parents to opt out.

School district nurse chair Nancy Sutherland told nurses and school office staff to expect to receive new guidelines about the exemption law and a revised Certificate of Exemption. She said nurses are in favor of the new regulation.

"The immunization exemption law is supported by School Nurses of Washington and Snohomish Health District," Sutherland said. "It aims to decrease 'convenience' exemptions, better protect the community, and thus strengthen the 'herd immunity' effect related to vaccine susceptible diseases.

The law goes into effect this fall, and Sutherland said all exemptions filed prior to the release of guidelines will be honored.

 The new law is not without opponents. Critics say laws requiring a doctor's approval of an exemption are unconstitutional. Concerned parents have said if someone doesn't want their children to be immunized, they should not have to jump through unreasonable hoops, and that it's stripping them of another one of their freedoms.

Public health officials disagree.

"If everyone is immunized from predatory diseases, we’re all going to be safer," said Dr. Anthony Chen, Tacoma Pierce-County Health Director.