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April 13, 2001
“Local Doctors Oppose Shots Bill; Vaccinations Rates Would
Fall, They Say” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (www.startext.net) (04/12/01) P. 1;
Brooks, Karen
House Bill 1702, sponsored by Texas Rep. Rick Green
(R-Dripping Springs), has caused uproar from some members of Fort Worth’s pediatric
community due to a clause that would allow parents to opt out of immunizations
for their children without a medical or religious reason. California, Arizona, Louisiana, Oklahoma,
and New Mexico all have similar conscientious objection clauses for vaccines. The bill has been praised for its attempt to
automatically include vaccinated children in Texas’ immunization registry. As the law stands now, parents must consent
to include their child’s immunization in the registry and can only be exempt for
shots for religious or medical reasons.
Meanwhile, Committee Vice Chairman Garnet Coleman is sponsoring a second
bill that does not include the conscientious-objection clause.
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AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO
VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU
ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.