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FACT BRIEF

Did Republican state senators block a meningitis vaccine mandate for Wisconsin children?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

On March 9, Republican lawmakers blocked new policies set by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services under Gov. Tony Evers' administration, including a meningitis vaccine requirement for students entering 7th grade and a booster requirement for those entering 12th grade.

The Republicans who run the Legislature's joint rules committee blocked the changes to Wisconsin’s administrative code until April 2024. The committee co-chairman Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, called the changes "arbitrary and capricious." 

Previously, Wisconsin recommended but did not require a meningitis vaccine for school-age children.

The committee also blocked chickenpox and meningitis from the types of "substantial outbreaks" that schools must report to the state. And the committee halted an impending mandate that parents give schools evidence from a medical provider of a chickenpox (varicella disease) infection to secure an exemption from that vaccine requirement. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Republicans blocked a meningitis vaccine requirement for 7th graders. What's behind the decision and what it means for parents
Wisconsin Public Radio Republicans block meningitis, chickenpox vaccine mandates
Wisconsin Department Of Health Services Immunization: 2023 child care and 2023–2024 school year immunization requirements
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.