Providing religious exemptions to school attendance vaccine requirements

SB 250 would allow West Virginia schoolchildren to be exempt from required vaccine mandates by having parents or guardians submit a signed statement citing religious objections to school officials. This creates a new religious exemption, separate from the existing medical exemption process (which requires a physician's certification for health reasons). Schools and childcare facilities would be prohibited from questioning, penalizing, or discriminating against families using this exemption. The bill does not change the list of required vaccines (chickenpox, measles, hepatitis-B, etc.) or alter the medical exemption process.