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Amendment Would Exempt Virtual Charter School Students From Maine’s Vaccination Law

The Legislature’s Education Committee is considering a bill that would amend Maine’s new vaccination law that was overwhelmingly upheld by voters in last week’s referendum.

The bill would amend the law passed last year and exempt students who attend virtual charter schools from state vaccination requirements. The proposal drew support from the campaign that sought to repeal the new law, which eliminates religious and philosophical exemptions.

Cara Sacks, who was campaign manager for Yes on 1, says she supports the bill.

“In order to provide some access for educational opportunities,” she says.

But some who spoke in favor of the bill asked that the amendment go further and also exclude private and parochial schools from vaccination requirements.

“Please consider continuing to allow religious and philosophical exemptions for non-government funded schools,” says Brendan Krueger, principal of Pine Tree Academy, a Seventh Day Adventist school in Freeport.

The bill also clarifies that employees of health care facilities must adhere to new vaccination requirements by Sept. 2021.

Another proposed amendment aims to expand access to low- or no-cost vaccines by including all post-secondary students enrolled in Maine schools through age 18 in the state’s Universal Childhood Immunization Program.

The Maine Medical Association testified in support of the bill. The group that sought to preserve the state’s stricter immunization requirements, Maine Families for Vaccines, testified neither for nor against.

Originally published March 9, 2020 at 4:06 p.m. ET.