The joint legislative committee that oversees the rules and regulations put out by the state departments held a public hearing last week that resulted in the Republican-led committee voting to suspend an additional vaccine the Department of Health had mandated for school children, as well as suspending a change in how the school is notified about a child’s chickenpox status. The rules went into effect last month but are now suspended through at least April 2024.

Currently schools  accept a parent’s word on whether a child has had chickenpox. The rule the committee suspended required a medical professional to provide that information. Once again the state was belittling parents, telling them they are not trustworthy and that schools not parents  know what is best for their children. The committee was right to suspend these new rules.