Southeast

Bill allowing religious exemptions for childhood vaccines passes West Virginia House

Published

10 months ago

February 28, 2024

Bill allowing religious exemptions for childhood vaccines passes West Virginia House

A proposal to allow religious exemptions for childhood vaccines has cleared the West Virginia House of Delegates in a 57-41 vote.
The exemption is part of a bill that would allow private schools to implement vaccine mandates at their own discretion.
“It escapes sound reasoning why anyone would want to weaken childhood immunization laws,” Dr. Steven Eshenaur said of the bill, as he accused lawmakers of wanting to “turn the clock back nearly 100 years” on public health.

West Virginia would join 45 other states that allow religious exemptions from childhood vaccines required for school attendance under a bill that passed the House of Delegates on Monday.

The religious exemption is included in a bill that would let private schools decide whether to implement vaccine mandates. It was added to the bill as an amendment that passed on Friday. The overall bill was approved Monday on a 57-41 vote and now goes to the state Senate, where its chances of passage are uncertain. But the Senate will have to act quickly: the 60-day regular session ends on March 9.

Some medical experts in West Virginia, one of the unhealthiest states in the nation among adults, called the bill archaic.

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“Legislators want to turn the clock back nearly 100 years and remove some of the safeguards in our vaccination policies,” said Dr. Steven Eshenaur, the health officer for the Kanawha-Charleston health department. “It escapes sound reasoning why anyone would want to weaken childhood immunization laws. Our children are more important than any agenda that would bring these horrific diseases back to the Mountain State.”

The bill’s original intent was to eliminate vaccine requirements for students in public virtual schools. It was expanded in committee to allow private schools to set their own vaccination standards. Then came the religious exemption added in last week’s amendment.

Amendment sponsor Todd Kirby, a Raleigh County Republican, said the exemption sends a message about existing guarantees of religious freedom. Kirby, who said his children are fully vaccinated, added that it would allow unvaccinated children to be welcomed into schools and day-care facilities and “to have the camaraderie and social interactions that we all know are so important.”

Last year, Kirby co-sponsored a bill later signed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice that would create a test for courts to apply when people challenge government regulations they believe interfere with their constitutional right to religious freedom. About two dozen other states have similar laws.

Seen here is West Virginia’s Capitol dome in Charleston, West Virginia. (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner, File)

A federal appeals court last August upheld a 2021 Connecticut law that eliminated the state’s longstanding religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities. And in Mississippi, a federal judge ruled in April 2023 that the state must allow such exemptions.

Other states that currently don’t have religious exemptions for school immunization requirements are California, Maine and New York, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Unless they have a valid medical excuse, children entering school for the first time in West Virginia currently must be immunized against nine diseases or infections, including chickenpox, measles, whooping cough and tetanus.

Kanawha County Republican JB Akers said he supports the religious exemption but doesn’t like how the bill would let private schools decide on student vaccine requirements while public school students currently must be immunized.

“I think we are potentially creating an equal protection problem,” he said in voting against the bill.

Students who compete in state-sponsored athletic competitions must be immunized and cannot receive a religious exemption under the bill.

Kanawha County Democrat Mike Pushkin chided the House for meddling with the current school vaccine law.

“We do not have the right to harm others,” Pushkin said. “This bill does harm.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Virginia’s life expectancy in 2020 was 72.8 years. Only Mississippi’s was lower at 71.9. West Virginia has the nation’s highest death rate from diabetes and heart disease, and has long had the nation’s highest drug-related death rate. It was among three states with an obesity prevalence of 40% or greater in adults in 2022, the CDC said.

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Southeast

Florida law will create safety barrier for first responders

Published

8 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

Florida law will create safety barrier for first responders

A new law in Florida will support the need to keep first responders safe while working a call.

Senate Bill 184 will go into effect on Jan. 1 and will prohibit a person, after receiving a warning, from approaching a first responder engaged in the lawful performance of their job.

The law is aimed at helping police, fire and EMS personnel stay focused while performing critical first aid.

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A new Florida law will keep first responders safe by prohibiting a person from approaching any police, fire or EMS personnel while working on a call. (Delray Beach Police Department)

It will create a 25-foot barrier around the responder, keeping the public at bay. It also includes keeping the public from threatening and harassing the responders while they are trying to do their jobs.

Violators will receive a warning initially, but could face criminal penalties if they don’t heed it.

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People who approach a first responder on the job will initially receive a warning, but could face a fine and up to 60 days in jail. (iStock)

The new law comes with a penalty of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The bill also outlines that a violator could face a second-degree misdemeanor.

The law considers first responders to be law enforcement officers, corrections officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

It also specifies the definition of “first responder” to include law enforcement officers, a correctional probation officer, firefighters and emergency medical care providers.

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Southeast

Louisiana hunter cited for violations after shooting man he mistook for a deer

Published

16 hours ago

January 1, 2025

Press Room

Louisiana hunter cited for violations after shooting man he mistook for a deer

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is reiterating the importance of hunting safety after a man was shot by a hunter who mistook him for a deer.

Law enforcement agents responded to a shooting involving two hunters on property in Zachary, a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, on Dec. 23, the department said on Facebook.

The two hunters were unknowingly hunting deer on the “same small private property” when one hunter mistook the other for a deer and accidentally shot him.

Both men had permission to be on the property, according to local media.

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A Louisiana hunter was cited for two violations after accidentally shooting another hunter, who he mistook for a deer, while they were both on the same “small” property, according to the state’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. (iStock)

He was hit with buckshot from a 20-gauge shotgun, the agency said. The shooter immediately called 911 for help once he realized he had shot a man and not a deer.

The wounded hunter was airlifted to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge with non-fatal injuries. Law enforcement did not state where the man was shot.

The hunter accidentally shot a man with buckshot from a 20-gauge shotgun. (iStock)

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When law enforcement investigated what took place, they discovered neither hunter was wearing orange or had deer tags in their possession. The shooter was cited for both violations.

LDWF said additional charges are possible as the investigation remains active.

The agency reminded all hunters to prioritize safety by always wearing orange, which is required by law, and positively identifying your target and surroundings before firing your weapon.

It is required by law to wear orange or pink when hunting deer during gun season in Louisiana. (iStock)

“Let’s work together to prevent incidents like this and ensure everyone enjoys the outdoors safely,” LDWF said.

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Southeast

Trump hails Florida Dem's decision to ditch party, join GOP: 'THANK YOU HILLARY!'

Published

23 hours ago

January 1, 2025

Press Room

Trump hails Florida Dem's decision to ditch party, join GOP: 'THANK YOU HILLARY!'

President-elect Donald Trump congratulated and thanked Florida state Rep. Hillary Cassel after the Sunshine State lawmaker announced her decision to dump her Democratic Party affiliation and join the GOP.

“Today, I am announcing my decision to change my party affiliation from Democrat to Republican,” Cassel said in a statement. “I will be joining the Republican Conference of the Florida House of Representatives because I believe in their vision for a better, more prosperous Florida.”

In a statement hailing the move, Trump urged more Democrats to defect.

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Left: Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump smiles during a Hispanic roundtable at Beauty Society on Oct. 12, 2024 in North Las Vegas, Nevada; Right: Florida state Rep. Hillary Cassel (Left: Ethan Miller/Getty Images; Right: flhouse.gov)

“Congratulations to Hillary Cassel for becoming the second State Representative from the Great State of Florida to switch her Party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, once more expanding the GOP Supermajority in the State House! I would further like to invite other Disillusioned Democrats to switch Parties, and join us on this noble quest to Save our Country and, Make America Great Again – GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. THANK YOU HILLARY!” Trump exclaimed in a Truth Social post.

Cassel’s announcement came after fellow Florida state Rep. Susan Valdés announced earlier this month that she was switching her registration from Democrat to Republican.

While seeking office in 2022, Cassel described herself as a “proud Democrat,” “pro-choice champion,” and “faithful ally of the LGBTQ+ community.”

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Florida state Rep. Susan Valdés (flhouse.gov)

She also pledged that she would “stand up to #ClimateChange deniers” and “stand up to the NRA and fight for a ban on military style assault rifles and the high capacity ammunition that make them so lethal.”

But now Cassel says the Democratic Party does not reflect her values.

“As a mother, I want to help build a world where our children are judged on their character and their actions not on their labels,” she noted in her statement. “As a proud Jewish woman, I have been increasingly troubled by the Democratic Party’s failure to unequivocally support Israel and its willingness to tolerate extreme progressive voices that justify or condone acts of terrorism. I’m constantly troubled by the inability of the current Democratic Party to relate to everyday Floridians. I can no longer remain in a party that doesn’t represent my values.

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Florida state Rep. Hillary Cassel (flhouse.gov)

“I know I won’t always agree on every detail with every Republican, but I do know that I will always have input, collaboration, and respect. The House Republican Conference empowers members to find common sense solutions to real issues facing all Floridians. They welcome different ideas and collaboration, which is the cornerstone of effective government. Those are my values,” Cassel noted.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

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