House declines further amendment but concurs with Senate changes to immunization advisory bill

The House debated H.545, a bill addressing immunization recommendations and the composition and authorities of the Vermont Immunization Advisory Council. The Senate proposed three changes, including reducing council membership by two and updating authorization for pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations; the House Human Services Committee recommended concurrence with those changes.

Representative from Cabot offered a further amendment requiring a written receipt of informed consent, arguing that a written receipt would strengthen trust and ensure that parents and patients receive information about potential risks. "We're really just asking for a small amount more information to be gathered," the member said, noting that in some treatment contexts written consent is already collected.

The House agreed to take a roll-call vote on the member's further amendment. The clerk called names through a roll call, and the result reported on the floor was 47 in favor and 90 opposed; the chair announced "the nays have it" and the House declined to concur in the Senate proposal of amendment with the further amendment.

The chamber then returned to the question of concurrence in the Senate proposal of amendment without the member's additional change. By voice vote the House concurred in the Senate's proposal of amendment.

Next steps: with concurrence recorded, H.545 advances consistent with the Senate amendments and will proceed per House floor scheduling.