COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) — South Carolina is now experiencing the largest measles outbreak in the United States in more than two decades, according to the state Department of Public Health, prompting Democratic lawmakers to call for the elimination of religious exemptions for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in public schools.
Nearly 1,000 measles cases have been recorded in the Upstate, where the outbreak has been concentrated. Supporters of the proposed legislation say the surge demonstrates the need for stronger vaccination requirements to protect students, teachers and staff.
“I think that the purpose of that bill was to really protect children and the teachers, the staff, the cooks in the kitchen in the cafeteria,” Sen. Deon Tedder, D-Charleston, said during a subcommittee hearing.
Current South Carolina law allows two types of vaccine exemptions: medical and religious. The bill introduced by Democrats would remove the religious exemption, though lawmakers emphasized it would not mandate vaccination outright.
“It does not mandate vaccinations,” Sen. Margie Matthews, D-Colleton, said. “It sets a condition for public school attendance. Medical exemptions are preserved throughout.”
The proposal drew loud opposition from attendees at a crowded and contentious committee hearing. Opponents claimed the MMR vaccine contains fetal cells from abortions and causes disabilities, assertions that physicians and public health officials rejected.
“There’s abundant evidence that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism,” Dr. Linda Bell of the state Department of Public Health said.
Rebekah Watson of South Carolinians for Freedom argued that removing the religious exemption infringes on citizens’ rights.
“This is just yanking stuff left and right from people who are taxpaying citizens that should be allowed to have access to these things,” Watson said. “We are founded on the principles of religious freedom. That includes not restricting basic access to the services that we pay for.”
Republicans who control the subcommittee opposed the measure and declared the bill dead by the end of the hearing. Instead, they voiced support for expanding exemptions.
“We need to have a personal exemption in addition,” Sen. Billy Garrett, R-Greenwood, said. “That ought to be a separate bill, and I think we kill this bill today, period.”
The panel advanced a separate proposal that would bar vaccine mandates for infants under 24 months, though public health officials testified that no such mandates exist. Some lawmakers criticized the measure as a waste of time.
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