Not content to eliminate the Office of the Child Advocate, or vote to repeal the New Hampshire Vaccine Association or vote to add an income tax (premium) to low-income families who use Medicaid, several House Republicans along with a single Democrat, (Jonah Wheeler D-Peterborough), sponsored HB 357. This bill was meant to phase out the required childhood vaccinations for chicken pox, Hepatitis B and influenza type B. It also removed the Commissioner of health and Human Services’ authority to establish rules requiring immunization for additional childhood diseases. At the end of March the bill passed the House, 195-174 and then went on to the State Senate.
Where it died in their Committee on Health and Human Services. According to the committee, they felt it best to NOT move forward with this legislation due to the potential unintended consequences of this bill. This was on Thursday, April 24th.
On Tuesday, April 29th, not to be over ridden by members of the Senate, Rep. Matt Drew R-Manchester, added an amendment to a Senate bill which was coming up for a vote in the House in two days. The wording in the amendment was the exact same wording from HB 357, the bill previously passed by the House, but then killed in the Senate.
On Thursday, May 1st, the House was in session to vote on a dozen bills, one being SB 60, a bill having to do with advanced deposit wagering on pari-mutuel betting on horse racing. Hastily attached to this bill, while having NOTHING to do with it at all was a floor amendment, which was basically HB 357.
A vote was taken to decide as to whether or not the amendment would be added and by eleven votes in favor of, the wording was added to SB 60, where it went on to pass as amended by a voice vote. End result? HB 357, as an amendment to a horse betting bill, got passed again. Those required vaccines will come to an end in June, 2026. Perhaps, NH can then become the chicken pox capital of America, like Texas who has the measles.
Don’t ever let a Republican tell you they care about the health and well-being of children. Their votes prove otherwise . . .