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South Carolina lawmakers are considering legislation to eliminate the religious exemption for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for children attending school or childcare and require two doses of MMR for students to attend public colleges and universities.
S.897 would also condition eligibility for certain education scholarship funds and private school grants on proof of two MMR doses or a medical exemption.
This bill removes long-standing religious protections for families who object to vaccination on the basis of sincerely held beliefs.
S.897 was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Medical Affairs Committee on 2/5/2026.
Please act TODAY and urge your legislators to OPPOSE S.897.
TAKE ACTION
Contact your State Representative and ask them to OPPOSE S.897.
Find your South Carolina legislators here:
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php
Phone calls are most effective, but emails help too.
SAMPLE SCRIPT
“Hello, my name is ___ and I’m a constituent. I’m calling to urge Senator ___ to OPPOSE S.897.
This bill is concerning because it eliminates religious exemptions for the MMR vaccine, forcing families to violate their sincerely held faith to access education.
The right to follow one’s religious conscience in matters of health is fundamental. The government should not compel families to choose between their beliefs and their child’s schooling.
Measles vaccines are produced using human fetal cell lines from elective abortions, which creates a serious moral and religious conflict for many families.
Please oppose S.897 and defend religious liberty and parental rights in South Carolina.
Thank you.”
TALKING POINTS
- In the last month, the number of new cases has dropped from 200 in the week of January 11 to 169 in the week of January 18th, to 92 in the week of January 25th, to 68 in the week of February 1st. Cases are dropping, not increasing.
- Measles mortality declined dramatically before the vaccine existed. In the United States and other developed nations, measles deaths dropped by more than 98% due to improved living conditions, nutrition, and healthcare before the measles vaccine was introduced in the 1960s.
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges that the MMR vaccine does not guarantee protection against measles—”breakthrough infections” have occurred among fully vaccinated individuals during documented outbreaks.
- Vaccines, including MMR, carry a risk of adverse events. As of 1/30/2026, there were 117,830reports in the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) involving measles-containing vaccines. 11,746 were classified as serious or the person died.
- Medical decisions are deeply personal and, for many families, inseparable from faith and conscience. Vaccination is not merely a clinical choice—it can involve sincerely held religious and spiritual beliefs about bodily autonomy, stewardship, and moral responsibility. Government policies must respect these convictions rather than override them.
- Coercion violates religious liberty and sets a dangerous precedent. Forcing compliance with medical interventions by threatening access to education compels individuals to act against their faith. Religious freedom is a fundamental right, not a privilege contingent on government approval.
- Education should not be used as leverage to compel medical compliance. Conditioning school attendance and scholarship eligibility on vaccination status is coercive and undermines informed consent.
MORE INFORMATION
S.897 — Bill text, status, and history:
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?session=126&billnumbers=897&summary=B
Read this article to learn more about measles and vaccines: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/vaccinations/measles-a-close-examination-of-the-facts-to-counter-the-fear/#gsc.tab=0
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