A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
House Bill 158, which adds chickenpox to Montana’s list of mandatory vaccinations, was approved 57–43 today on its third reading in the MT House and is headed to Gov. Bullock for his signature. Billings Democrat Margie MacDonald carried the bill.
In the House, Flathead Democrats Ed Lieser and Zac Perry, joined by Republican Mark Noland, voted Aye. Flathead Republicans Regier, Glim, Garner, Olszewski, Lavin, and Brodehl voted Nay.
In the Senate, where the margin was 36–14, Flathead Republicans Bob Keenan and Bruce Tutvedt voted Aye. Dee Brown and Mark Blasdel voted Nay, as did Dayton’s Janna Taylor whose district includes Olszewski’s HD-11.
In its first journey through the House, Republicans stripped out the penalty for false swearing on an application for an exemption, and added an exemption for personal beliefs. In the Senate, the penalty was restored and the personal exemption was removed.
Exemptions remain for medical conditions and religious objections. The religious exemption should be stripped from the law.
Rep. Brodehl even voted against this bill when it contained the personal exemption and the absence of penalty for false swearing.
The foolish attempt to gut the bill by approving false swearing and adding a personal exemption made making Montana the 50th state to require smallpox vaccinations a lot harder than was necessary.