South Carolina is facing its most serious measles outbreak in decades, and the fight over vaccines has landed squarely in the State House. Senator Margie Wright Matthews breaks down her bill to remove the religious exemption for MMR vaccines in public schools while preserving parental choice outside the classroom. The conversation dives into how religious exemptions weakened herd immunity in Spartanburg County, the impact of vaccine disinformation campaigns, and the growing debate over parental rights versus public health in South Carolina. If you want to understand the real stakes behind SC bill S897, the measles outbreak in schools, and what it means for children, families, and the future of public health policy in South Carolina, this is a conversation you cannot miss.

00:00 Parental Rights vs Public Health Safety

05:19 Senator Matthews on Ending Exemptions

10:10 Herd Immunity and Senate Debate

16:14 School Safety, Blame, and Politics

20:08 Vaccine Bill Strategy and State Priorities

23:41 Poverty, Childcare, and Policy Hypocrisy