Minnesota Lawmaker Aims to Make it Harder to Avoid Vaccines

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota health officials say there are almost 70 confirmed cases of measles in the state so far this year, and a state lawmaker is hoping to make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children.

Minnesota Public Radio reports that nearly 2,000 kindergartners weren’t immunized against measles this year because their parents presented a notarized statement to avoid vaccination.

DFL Rep. Mike Freiberg of Golden Valley hopes the ongoing measles outbreak will convince lawmakers to make changes. Freiberg’s vaccine bill, which would require parents to go over vaccine safety information with a doctor before opting out, has repeated failed to gain support in the Legislature.

Minnesota Natural Heath Legal Reform Project president Leo Cashman says requiring vaccination restricts parental rights.