Vaccine Debate in MI House Will Stretch in to 2016

The debate in the Michigan House over how parents should be required get an immunization waiver for their kids will stretch in to 2016.

During the waning days of the 2015 legislative session a Republican lawmaker introduced a bill to reverse a rule requiring parents to sign the waiver, in-person, at their county health department after first talking to a nurse.

Next month, State Representative Pam Faris, a Democrat, says she’ll introduce bills to make that rule permanent.

She says making sure parents understand the potential risks of not getting their children vaccinated is the right thing to do.

Michigan is one of the few states that allows parents to get an immunization waiver for philosophical reasons.

As many as 20 percent of the children in some Michigan counties aren’t vaccinated.