Friends and neighbors,
Last week, my Democrat colleagues in the Minnesota Senate passed a health and human services funding bill. It is a bloated bill that implements controversial mandates, decreases quality of care, and increases government spending.
While there are several concerning provisions in the bill, there is one in particular I want to talk about.
The provision in question allows childcare providers to deny enrollment to children over 2 months old who are not fully vaccinated according to the recommended schedule.
In other words, it effectively removes the ability for parents to claim a conscientious exemption – only medical exemptions approved by a physician would be permitted.
This is not about anti-vax hysteria. This is about allowing parents to make relevant and critical health-based choices for their children.
Let me tell you a story about why this is important to my family and families everywhere.
When I was five years old, I received my MMR vaccine. Shortly after, I began having an allergic reaction. I could not walk for a month. My body physically could not accept the vaccine.
No medical doctor was willing to write a medical exemption. I literally could not stay on the recommended vaccine schedule. Under this bill, childcare providers could reject me.
The same concerns emerged when it came time to vaccinate my children. After consulting with our pediatrician, we decided spreading out their vaccine schedule made sense for their health and development. The doctor wouldn’t write an exemption, though, because we were still doing the vaccines – just not on a normal schedule.
Under this proposal, childcare facilities could reject my children for not staying strictly on schedule.
My family is not unique; situations like this happen every day. It is just one of many reasons why we have conscientious objections in place.
I tried to remove this section of the bill with an amendment, but Senate Democrats rejected it. Their decision was deeply disappointing and out-of-touch with the diverse values represented across our state.
Conscientious exemptions exist for good reason. They reinforce our right to make personal medical choices according to our own beliefs and circumstances.
Most importantly, they provide a critical alternative pathway for those who may face legitimate medical issues their doctor does not officially recognize or qualify for an exemption. No parent should be denied childcare and be forced to choose between their job and protecting their child’s health and wellbeing.
Contact me
Your feedback, ideas, and concerns are what allow me to serve you to the best of my ability. Please share your thoughts with me any time at sen.bill.lieske@mnsenate.gov or 651-296-5019.
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It is a privilege to serve you!