More than 180 families in West Virginia have received religious or philosophical exemptions from school vaccination requirements since Governor Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order in January. According to state health officials, all exemption requests made under the new order have been approved.
The West Virginia Department of Health released these figures this week following a Freedom of Information Act request. While the total number of approvals was disclosed, no specific details about the nature of the requests were provided.
Morrisey’s Executive Order Changes Vaccine Rules
Before the governor’s order, West Virginia was one of only five states that did not permit religious or philosophical exemptions to school vaccine mandates. State law previously allowed exemptions only for medical reasons, such as allergies or severe vaccine reactions.
On January 14, Morrisey invoked the 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act to introduce religious exemptions to vaccine requirements. His executive order also instructed the state health officer—currently a vacant position—to establish regulations and legislative measures to support these exemptions.
Legislative Battle Over Vaccine Exemptions
Despite the order, the West Virginia House of Delegates voted against Senate Bill 460, which would have formally established religious exemptions in state law. While the Senate passed the bill with a 20-12 vote, the House Health Committee initially focused only on modifying medical exemption procedures. However, religious exemptions were reintroduced in the bill before the full House vote, which ultimately failed.
Governor Morrisey has stated he will not rescind the executive order, potentially leading to tensions between the state’s executive and legislative branches. The Department of Health has confirmed that it will continue following Morrisey’s directive despite the Legislature’s rejection of the bill.
How Many Families Are Using Religious Exemptions?
Since the order took effect, 186 exemption requests have been submitted and approved—more than three times the number of medical exemption requests filed in 2023. While this is still a small fraction of the approximately 250,000 school-age children in the state, it marks a significant shift in West Virginia’s vaccination policies.
House Health Committee Chair Evan Worrell acknowledged that some lawmakers had concerns about allowing exemptions through a simple written statement. “I personally believe we should have that option, but that’s why we have these debates,” he said.
FAQs
1. What does Governor Morrisey’s executive order change?
Morrisey’s order allows families to claim religious or philosophical exemptions from school vaccine requirements. Previously, only medical exemptions were permitted in West Virginia.
2. How many religious exemptions have been approved so far?
Since January, 186 religious or philosophical exemptions have been granted, according to the West Virginia Department of Health.
3. What happened to Senate Bill 460?
The bill, which aimed to formally establish religious exemptions in state law, passed the Senate but was rejected by the House of Delegates.
4. Will the executive order remain in effect despite the bill’s failure?
Yes. Governor Morrisey has stated he will not rescind the order, and the Department of Health has confirmed it will continue to follow his directive.
5. How does this impact West Virginia’s school vaccination rates?
It’s too early to tell the full impact, but the number of exemptions granted in the first two months under the new order is already significantly higher than the number of medical exemptions requested in the entire previous year.
