December 14, 2021
BATON ROUGE, La. — Gov. John Bel Edwards on Tuesday notified lawmakers he’s moving forward with the Louisiana Department of Health’s plan to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the school immunization schedule. That’s despite the Louisiana House Health and Welfare committee’s 13-2 vote earlier this month to reject the new LDH rule.
The governor had signaled then he would overrule their decision, and Tuesday he delivered on that.
Families can opt-out of vaccinating their child by going through a process that allows for broad exemptions, including philosophical or religious objections to the vaccine. When it goes into effect — if it’s not delayed or blocked by a legal challenge — next fall, it will apply at all schools in the state for students 16 and older, since it only applies to age groups with full Food and Drug Administration approval for the vaccine.
Among those speaking against the rule at a Dec. 6 hearing ahead of the vote at the State Capitol was Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who argued the executive branch lacked authority to make the rule. He could challenge the rule in court, though Edwards’ spokeswoman Christina Stephens has said the governor “absolutely has the authority” to implement the rule.
Read more at WDSU.