Immunization opt-in bill, guns-in-schools bill dead for 2019 Idaho legislative session

Two hot-button education-related bills are dead for the 2019 session.

The Senate will not take up a bill to require schools and child-care centers to provide immunization opt-out information to parents, at the same time they receive information on state immunization guidelines.

Meanwhile, the House will not act on a bill to allow enhanced concealed weapons license holders to carry firearms to schools.

The immunization proposal, House Bill 133, passed the House on Feb. 25. Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Fred Martin says he will not hold a hearing on the proposal.

Martin, R-Boise, said he has only heard from a couple of people about the bill. But he said he is willing to take any heat that comes from his decision.

“We need to send the message in Idaho to immunize,” Martin said Wednesday morning.

Idaho’s immunization rate dropped slightly this year, and the state has one of the highest immunization opt-out rates in the nation. Over the past two years, immunization opt-out numbers have increased by nearly 25 percent, far outstripping enrollment growth.

Meanwhile, the guns-in-school bill will not come back to the House State Affairs Committee for a hearing.

A divided State Affairs Committee voted to print House Bill 203 after an uncommonly long introductory hearing on Feb. 26. However, bills seldom come out of a committee without a more extensive public hearing, and HB 203 will not get a hearing, committee Chairman Steven Harris said Wednesday morning.

The proposal needs more discussion, and more input from stakeholders, said Harris, R-Meridian.

Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, sponsored HB 133; Rep. Chad Christensen, R-Ammon, sponsored HB 203. Neither responded immediately to requests for comment Wednesday morning.