Nearly a month after the controversial measure stalled when a deluge of angry parents stormed the Statehouse in protest, state lawmakers are now poised to pass a bill that would eliminate religion as a recognized reason for children to avoid getting vaccinations required to attend New Jersey schools.
In a surprise, last-minute deal, Democratic leaders of the state Senate agreed to a series of amendments to the legislation to convince a Republican legislator to become the last vote needed for it to pass.
The changes include giving private schools and day care centers in the state the freedom to accept children who aren’t vaccinated, provided they make public a count of how many enrollees do not have their shots.
The Senate narrowly approved the amendments in an emergency vote in Trenton on Thursday. A final vote is expected to happen Monday, the last full day of New Jersey’s two-year legislative session.
T9R