Wisconsin Republicans Block Governor's Plan to Mandate Students Get Certain Vaccinations

Saturday, March 11th, 2023 -- 11:00 AM

(AP) Wisconsin Republicans have blocked Gov. Tony Evers' plan to mandate students get vaccinated against meningitis and obtain a doctor's note to avoid a chickenpox shot.

Officials with the state health department, an Evers Cabinet agency, announced last month that beginning this fall students entering seventh grade must get a meningitis shot and 12th graders get a booster shot.

The agency also announced that parents will need to provide evidence of infection from a health care provider to secure an exemption from a chickenpox shot. Republicans say the requirements are too burdensome. The Legislature's GOP-controlled rules committee voted 6-4 on Thursday to block the changes.

Lawmakers heard more than nine hours of heated testimony Tuesday as Republican members of a joint rules committee prepare to temporarily undo updates to Wisconsin's vaccine requirements for children entering schools and day cares.

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