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Measles Vaccine Legislation Seeks Delicate Balance

WUIS

Legislators are trying to protect kids from measles, without offending anti-vaccine parents.

The outbreak of measles at a Palatine learning center in February has lawmakers wanting to protect children, but it's a politically sensitive topic.

When Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno presented her proposal to a legislative committee, she was upfront about her desire to not step on the toes of parents who choose to not vaccinate their kids, while at the same time wanting to protect children.

"It's a very delicate issues when you're talking about immunizations in children. So the approach that I've taken hopefully has not drawn any criticism."

Radogno's measure puts the onus on daycare employees who work with kids six and younger, who are too young to have had the vaccine. These caretakers would have to either prove they've had the requisite two doses of the measles, mumps rubella vaccine (MMR), or show proof of immunity.

The measure advanced out of the committee to the Senate floor.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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