Jessica Reyna
A controversial bill hit the floor after it was presented by Representative Wade. Bill OSU 548 that called for mandatory vaccinations of children regardless of religious beliefs that one may hold. The intent of this bill was to protect the overall health of the general public. As expected, there were representatives that saw this as an infringement of their basic rights.
However, the controversy seemed to really kick off after a hostile amendment was proposed by Representative Carter. She proposed an amendment that contradicted the original intent of the bill, and that it should include religious exemptions. This caused an uproar in the house, and a long session of caucusing followed suit. Fierce disagreements and debates were sparked amongst the House. Many representatives were looking down on the fact that the intent of the amendment was to put religious freedom over public safety when there is risk of devastation. The amendment failed in the House, but the debate did not stop there.
When the final reading of the bill was announced, a long formal debated formed on both the sides of the proponency and the opponency. The opposition not only argued that it infringed on religious freedoms, but that vaccinations are only ninety percent effective. According to the debaters, the other ten percent had tragic consequences. The proponency stated that not having children vaccinated due to religious reasons infringes on the right to life for the child, and the general population. At the end of the debate, the bill passed with an overwhelming majority.