CNA Staff, Apr 20, 2021 / 20:41 pm (CNA).
The Connecticut House of Representatives has advanced a bill to end the religious exemption from childhood vaccine requirements, beginning in 2022.
The bill to end the religious exemption for childhood vaccines advanced by a bipartisan vote of 90-53. It has the support of Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont but still needs to pass the state Senate.
Connecticut’s Catholic bishops took no position on a similar bill in 2020, but stressed the importance of vaccines, the need for sound public health policy, and the need to scrutinize any attempt to remove religious exemptions.
About 7,600 K-12 students now have religious exemptions from the state’s vaccination requirements. The bill was amended to ensure it would not apply to any of the several thousand K-12 students with a current religious exemption. Some critics have questioned what would happen to the 683 children in pre-K and daycare who currently have exemptions.
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“When you’re dying your choices are gone,” said Shimer, who also watched his mother die of lung cancer in 2015. “I think if you have the choice to say you want it or at least feel like you have it that gives you the dignity back.”
Jason Smith of Greenwich said his aunt took her own life when the pain of her illness became unbearable.
Jason Smith said his Aunt Rachel may not have taken her own life by suicide if Connecticut had a more compassionate, lawful way to aid sufferers.
“She suffered the most ungracious, undignified and horrible death imaginable,” said Smith who heads the Completed Life Initiative.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday that restrictions will be eased on religious gatherings in the state, permitting indoor capacity of up to 50%, with no other limit on attendance.