BATON ROUGE – A proposal to roll back requirements for the meningitis vaccine in Louisiana schools stalled this week after facing opposition from medical professionals and lawmakers in both parties.

House Bill 737, authored by Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Houma, failed in the House Education Committee on an 8-4 vote.

Six Republicans voted to preserve the requirement for the meningitis vaccine. They were Reps. Laurie Schlegel of Metairie, Reese Broussard of Jennings, Kim Carver of Mandeville, Barbara Freiberg of Baton Rouge, Vincent St. Blanc of Franklin and Phillip Tarver of Lake Charles.

The bill received support from Amedee and Republican Reps. Charles Owen of Rosepine, Kathy Edmonston of Gonzales and Josh Carlson of Lafayette.

The bill sought to remove the state requirement that students receive the meningitis vaccine, though it would not have banned the vaccine or prevented pediatricians from administering it.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many Republican legislators in Louisiana have voted against mandatory immunizations. Amedee framed her measure as an effort to expand parental choice.

“Send the clear message that in Louisiana, we trust parents to make the best health decisions for their own children,” she said during testimony.

Amedee also pointed to recent revisions in the national childhood and adolescent immunization schedule by the Centers for Disease Control, noting that it does not require the vaccine for healthy children but does recommend it for those considered at higher risk.

Under the proposal, decisions about managing any future outbreaks would have fallen to state health leadership, including Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein.

Opposition to the bill was led by health care professionals and individuals with firsthand experience of meningitis. Dr. Mikki Bouquet, a practicing pediatrician in Baton Rouge, testified against the measure, emphasizing that prevention is critical. Bouquet is a board member of Louisiana Families for Vaccines.

“Our goal is to be proactive, not reactive,” she said, adding that she has not personally seen injuries related to the vaccine.

Bouquet also noted that pediatricians generally follow guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends the meningitis vaccine.

Krystle Beauchamp, another opponent, shared her personal experience surviving meningitis while in college. At the time, Louisiana did not require the vaccine. She said she would have chosen to receive it if it had been mandated.

“My parents sent me to college, believing that I was protected, but when it came to meningitis, I was simply going into battle unarmed,” Beauchamp told the committee.

Beauchamp described severe complications from the illness, including damage to her gallbladder, liver and hearing. She said she continues to experience effects from the outbreak.

Rep. Terry Landry, D-Baton Rouge, also spoke in opposition, highlighting the seriousness of the disease.

“We recognize that this is a real issue, and the real impact it has on people’s lives, not just children,” Landry said.

Rep. Chasity Martinez of Plaquemine was the other Democrat who opposed Amedee’s bill.

With the committee vote, HB 737 will not advance this session, leaving Louisiana’s current meningitis vaccination requirement for students unchanged.