Childhood immunizations.

Smallpox and polio are gone. Incidents of diphtheria, whooping cough and measles are rare. For that we can thank state immunization policies that require children to be vaccinated before they start school. But more and more states are facing an increased resistance to childhood immunizations. Many believe people have forgotten the consequences of the diseases and, instead, focus on the perceived risks of vaccines. State legislators face the challenge of balancing public health protections with legal, religious and practical concerns.

Among other things, state immunization laws:

* Establish requirements for childhood vaccinations.

* Oversee and fund programs to ensure access for all children.

* Maintain registries to track childhood immunizations.

* Exempt certain children from vaccination requirements.

As affirmed by the Supreme Court decision Jacobson v United States. in 1984, states can compel immunizations and require documentation that children have received mandatory vaccines before they enter school. States have exempted individuals, however, for medical, religious or philosophical reasons. The CDC estimates that approximately 38,000 American children fall under exemption categories each year.

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