An Act to amend 49.155 (1m) (br) and 252.04 (3) of the statutes; Relating to: eliminating personal conviction exemption from immunizations.
Summary
SB950 would narrow Wisconsin’s school and child care immunization waiver rules by removing the ability to claim a “personal conviction” exemption. Under the bill, students would still be able to opt out of required immunizations for reasons of health or religion, but not simply because of personal objection. The bill amends the statutes governing immunization requirements for elementary, middle, junior, and senior high school students, as well as children in child care centers and nursery schools.
The bill also makes a conforming change to the public assistance statute referenced in the bill text, so that the immunization requirement for that program may likewise be waived only for health or religious reasons. Schools and child care providers would continue to notify families of immunization requirements and waiver rights, but the written notice would reflect the narrower exemption standard. The bill does not change the underlying vaccine schedule or the enforcement framework for noncompliance, including exclusion from school or child care and possible court-ordered compliance and forfeitures in certain cases.
Impact
SB950 would amend ss. 49.155 (1m) (br) and 252.04 (3) of the Wisconsin Statutes to eliminate personal conviction as a lawful basis for waiving required immunizations. The practical effect would be to reduce the number of available exemptions for students in schools, child care centers, and nursery schools, while preserving medical and religious exemptions. It would also align the referenced public-assistance-related immunization language with the same narrower waiver standard.
Sentiment
The bill’s stated purpose suggests a public-health-oriented approach, and the text indicates support from its authors for tightening immunization requirements. No committee transcript or recorded vote information is provided, so there is no documented debate in the supplied materials. The bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, indicating it did not advance to enactment.
Contention
The central point of contention is the elimination of the personal conviction exemption. Supporters would likely view the change as strengthening vaccine compliance and reducing preventable disease risk, while opponents would likely argue it restricts parental choice and individual liberty by removing a longstanding opt-out category. Because the bill preserves health and religious exemptions, the dispute is specifically over whether personal belief alone should remain a valid basis for exemption.
Health: immunizations; promulgation of certain rules that are more stringent than the requirements for claiming exemption from immunizations; prohibit. Amends sec. 9215 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.9215).