CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced a religious exemption for childhood vaccines among his first executive actions Tuesday, one day after his inauguration.
“These are 10 announcements,” he said. “They are swift. They’re decisive. They are really important for setting the framework for how my administration plans to operate.”
Morrisey said his order to provide a religious exemption for childhood vaccines is part of his efforts to enforce a religious freedom law passed in 2023. He believes the existing vaccine mandate violates that law.
“We are directing the Office of Public Health to set up a process to recognize these differences,” he told reporters. “We believe that the Equal Protection for Religious Act strongly argues in favor of religious and conscientious exemptions.”
The order says Morrisey wants that proposal in his hands by Feb. 1.
A religious exemptions for childhood vaccines was a divisive topic last year. Doctors argued on both sides as lawmakers debated loosening requirements. Then governor, Jim Justice, vetoed the legislation.
Dr. Steven Eshenaur, health officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, was a leading voice against exemptions. He was treating patients Tuesday but argued last March there is no exemption for disease.
“It opens the door,” he told WSAZ in March 2024. “It’s like unlocking one door of a four-door car. It’s no longer locked.”
WSAZ’s Curtis Johnson took that argument to the new governor.
“They said that this type of exemption would make people sicker,” Johnson asked. “Your response?”
“Having a religious and conscientious exemption I don’t think is going to lead to any compromise,” Morrisey replied. “In fact, I think that it’s going to put West Virginia back into the mainstream, where we’re recognizing the Constitution. We’re recognizing the religious beliefs that citizens have. That’s really critical to do in West Virginia.”
Morrisey says specifics of that exemption process will be announced at a later date.
His other executive orders focus upon state spending and economic development, expanding school choice, eliminating minority quotas from state government and reviewing outdated executive orders. He also sent two letters to lawmakers, which focus on transgender issues and designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.
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