W.Va. (AP) Charleston – Two groups filed a lawsuit Friday over an executive order by the GOP governor of West Virginia.
The West Virginia Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and Mountain State Judiciary have filed lawsuits against the state health department for public health and agency leaders on behalf of two parents in the Kanawa County Circuit Court.
That’s how the vaccine exemption was Among several administrative orders It was published by Morrisey on his first appointment in January.
“The governor will not govern by order,” Aubrey Sparks, ACLU-West Virginia’s Legal Affairs Director, said in a statement. “At the heart of this case is the people who make these decisions for our students. Regarding this question, the state constitution makes it clear that the authorities are in the legislature, not the governor.”
The governor’s office and the Department of Health did not immediately respond to a request that sent an email of comments on the lawsuit on Friday.
Morrisey’s order overturned the school’s vaccination policy, which had long been told by medical professionals by medical professionals as one of the most protective for children. State law requires children to receive the vaccine for chicken po, measles, measles, meningitis, meningitis, meningitis, meningitis, meningitis, meningitis, meningitis, meningitis, meningitis, polio, tetanus, and ooping cough before starting school. The state does not require Covid-19 vaccinations.
In particular, the law that allowed religious exemptions for vaccination requirements were passed by state senators; It was rejected by the House of Representatives Early this year.
State School Principal Michelle Bratt issued a memorandum of understanding to 55 county commissioners and recommended on May 2 that students will not be allowed to attend school in 2025-26 without vaccination. However, that same day, Bratt retracted the memo at Morrissey’s request, according to the lawsuit.
Morrisey later issued a statement that he had no intention of rescinding the executive order. He said parents could apply for a religious exemption from vaccination through the Department of Public Health.
Last year, then Republican Gov. Jim Justice was rejected Less Sweep Vaccination Law It was passed by Republicans and Deputy Labor Council who would have exempted students from private schools and several non-traditional public schools from vaccination requirements.
Morrisey served as West Virginia Attorney General from 2013 until he was there. I was sworn as governorhe said he believes religious exemptions for vaccinations should already be permitted under the 2023 law passed by the state legislature. Equal Religious Protection Law. The law provides that the government cannot “substantially burden” its constitutional rights to religious freedom unless it can prove that it has a “persuasive interest” that restricts its rights.
Morrisey said it has been “not fully and properly enforced” since the law was passed.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Dr. Joshua Hess of Cabel County and Marisa Jackson of Kanawa County. Hess said he has an immunocompromised child, and Jackson has children susceptible to illness as the use of the vaccination community has decreased.
Along with Mississippi, West Virginia is the US state with the worst health outcomes and lowest life expectancy.
“Parents should be able to know that their child is safe when they send him to school,” said Sarah Brown, executive director at Mountain State Justice. “We see the devastating impact of relaxing vaccine requirements across the country. That’s why Congress wisely refused to ease restrictions here in West Virginia. It’s important that their decisions are not undermined by the government.”
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