Bill Would Require Notarized Immunization Opt-Outs

Connecticut parents and guardians who want their children exempted from certain immunizations would need their wishes to be notarized under proposed legislation.

Hartford Rep. Matthew Ritter, co-chairman of the legislature's Public Health Committee, supports the bill. He said Friday that if parents are going to "claim something this serious, it should be notarized." He listed a number of documents requiring a notary's signature, including notice of an abandoned vessel.

He said religious exemptions from immunizations in Connecticut have climbed from 300 to 1,400 in the past decade.

Numerous parents have balked at the bill, saying it infringes on their freedom to exercise their religious beliefs. The legislation stems from concerns surrounding a recent measles outbreak in California.

The committee forwarded the bill to the House on a 23-4 vote Friday.