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UPDATE: 2/25/2024 - SB 257 died, it failed to be scheduled in the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee before the deadline for bills to be reported from committee in their chamber of origin of 2/25/2024.
SB 257 was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee on 1/11/2024. This bill is sponsored by Senator Jay Taylor.
SB 257 prohibits vaccine mandates for school children by any entity, or by any state or local government official, entity, department, or agency.
This bill adds a new section to West Virginia Code §16-3-4, regarding the compulsory immunization of school children, information disseminated, offenses, and penalties that prohibits mandates for vaccination:
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, vaccinations for any purpose may not be mandated by any entity defined in §16-1-2 of this code or by any state or local governmental official, entity, department, or agency.
NVIC SUPPORTS SB 257 because it protects the people of West Virginia and their right to choose any vaccination for their children without losing access to public education, state-regulated childcare, or other governmental entities. NVIC is opposed to vaccine mandates and supports informed consent. An improvement to this bill would be to prohibit vaccine mandates for everyone, including adults. Adults are facing increasing vaccine requirements for jobs, marketplace, travel, and medical care. Preventing mandates for school and childcare attendance is an important step in the direction of medical freedom for all citizens; however, all persons should have the right to informed consent to vaccination without coercion, threat, or mandate.
https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=257&year=2024&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill - text, status, and history of SB 257
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