Bill Could Eliminate Religious, Personal Exemptions For Measles Vaccine In MN

ST. PAUL, MN — Legislation moving through the Minnesota Senate could remove religious and personal beliefs from the list of exemptions parents or caregivers can choose when opting not to vaccinate their children against measles.

A group of Democratic lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 3439 this week, which would eliminate the “conscientiously held beliefs” exemption for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. In Minnesota, religious objections fall under this exemption.

According to the legislation, school-age children and those in child care would be required to get the MMR vaccine. The only exemption would be medical and would require a doctor's signature. It would not change exemptions for other required childhood vaccines in the state.

In recent years, the percentage of fully vaccinated Minnesota kindergarten students has been decreasing. During the 2024-25 school year, Minnesota Department of Health data showed a statewide vaccination rate of 86.3 percent. During the 2018-19 school year, 91.7 percent of the state’s kindergarteners had received the MMR vaccine.

There have been 14 confirmed cases of measles in the state so far this year.

Republican Sen. Andrew Mathews released a statement this week, accusing Democrats of trying to take away the rights of parents and families.

"When there is a risk of medical injury, parents must have a choice. Families should be trusted to know when to give or not give a vaccine to their children," Mathews said. "This is just another example of Democrats trying to strip away rights from Minnesota families."

Katie Christensen, a mother of six and Director of Disability Advocacy and Supports for Minnesotans for Health and Parental Rights, testified in opposition to the bill.

“Families who cannot accept certain vaccines may file a medical exemption signed by a physician or a notarized conscientious exemption,” Christensen said. “This framework has served Minnesota well for decades.

The bill has since advanced out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and was referred to the Education Policy Committee.

Should the bill pass, it would go into effect on Aug. 1.