Bill to remove vaccine exemptions returns to Oregon Capitol, sparks charged debate

A bill that would remove the nonmedical vaccine exemption for schoolchildren once again drew hundreds of parents and children to the Oregon Capitol Tuesday, bringing back to attention one of the state's most emotionally charged debates.

At the heart of the passion on both sides, advocates and opponents of House Bill 3063 said, is a desire to do what's best for the children of Oregon, and a debate over the role state government should play in protecting public health versus respecting individual choice.

A crowd of around 1,000 gathered Tuesday on the steps of the Capitol and spilled over onto the nearby mall. They waved signs reading "medical freedom!" and "No on HB 3063" and "My Child My Choice" and chanted "we do not consent."

One young person wore a yellow Star of David with "Not Vaccinated" written on it.

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Many later filtered through legislative offices to meet with lawmakers and staff.

"When the government can send you a mandate that you have a medical procedure that you do not want, there is no freedom in America," Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said at the noontime rally.

As it was written Tuesday (with several amendments still in the works), the bill would not allow any student who is unvaccinated for nonmedical reasons to attend school or school functions in a physical space.

Children have until Aug. 1, 2020 to be fully vaccinated.

The bill will have its next public hearing on Wednesday. Its previous hearings in March drew hundreds of witnesses — many of whom were not given the opportunity to testify because of that volume. 

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Measles outbreak polarized debate

While legislative leadership did not include a vaccine bill among their pre-session priorities, the growing number of measles cases in the Northwest and across the United States made it a priority for some.

Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, is a chief sponsor of HB 3063 and said she views this issue as one of children's safety. Measles is a highly contagious disease that, before the country's measles vaccination program began in 1963, was responsible for several hundred deaths per year.

"This was a priority for me this session. It is to make sure that we're going to protect our student's safety," Helt said. "This public response is really not the deciding factor. The deciding factor is doing the right thing and making sure that the legislation is correct. That's really where my focus is."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of April 19 there were 626 measles cases reported in 2019. The last high water mark for measles was set in 2014, when 667 cases were recorded during that entire year.

This nearly record year is in large part driven by an outbreak of measles in New York, where more than 350 confirmed cases have been identified. New York recently mandated the measles vaccination in the areas where the vaccine is spreading

In the Pacific Northwest, an outbreak caused 73 measles cases in Clark County, Washington. Oregon has seen 14 cases this year, according to the Oregon Health Authority — four tied to the Washington outbreak and 10 unrelated, including two in Marion County.

Measles had been declared "eliminated" in the United States in the year 2000. 

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School vaccination rule still divisive

HB 3063 is not the first time lawmakers have looked to remove the nonmedical exemption for schoolchildren. 

In 2015, Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward attracted national attention after introducing her bill to achieve this goal.

It eventually died after losing support in the building under mounting pressure from opponents. Knopp was one of the lawmakers leading opposition to the bill, as he is once again.

Legislative staff said Steiner Hayward has intentionally kept HB 3063 bill at an arm's length — including declining to comment for this article — because she knows that her name can draw opposition all on its own.

But she has helped with some of the policy behind the scenes, including help drafting an amendment to the bill that the committee is recommending be attached.

"They draw a tremendous number of people who are seemingly opposed to it and they bring a lot of heat," said Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem. "They’ve been pretty effective in the past."

Courtney said that he is supportive of the bill and he will look to put it on the floor for a vote if it gets to his chamber. The House will have an opportunity to vote on it first.

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Families decry state's interference 

While proponents of the measure consider it a necessity for maintaining public health —especially for children who are unable to get vaccinated for medical reasons — those in opposition argue vaccines can be dangerous for kids.

At the rally Tuesday, a speaker asked that everyone who had a relative who was injured by a vaccine raise their hands. About a third of hands went up.

Others voiced the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism.

And still others agreed with Knopp and other Republican lawmakers — the government should not be mandating that children have vaccines at the risk of not being able to attend public school and school functions.

But even as rhetoric is sure to heighten as the bill moves forward, Helt wants to keep focus on the policy and making sure it is as reasonable as possible while not sacrificing its intent.

"The most important important thing for me is to remember that everybody's heart is in the right place," Helt said. "We all want what's best for our children and our students."

Contact Connor Radnovich at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnovich