West Virginia Gov. Justice breaks with GOP Legislature to veto bill rolling back school vaccine rule
West Virginia Republican Gov. Jim Justice broke with the GOP-majority Legislature to veto a bill that would have loosened one of the country’s strictest school vaccination policies
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Republican Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday broke with West Virginia's GOP-majority Legislature to veto a bill that would have loosened one of the country's strictest school vaccination policies.
West Virginia is only one of a handful of states in the U.S. that offers only medical exemptions to vaccine requirements. The bill would have allowed some students who don’t attend traditional public institutions or participate in group extracurriculars like sports to be exempt from vaccinations typically required for children starting day care or school.
“Our kids are our future," Justice said in a letter explaining the veto. “They are our most important resource, and I will protect them with everything I have.”
The governor said “West Virginia is way ahead of the pack” in protecting children from preventable diseases like measles because of its school vaccine policy. He said he had to defer to the licensed medical professionals who “overwhelmingly” spoke out in opposition to the legislation.
