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NJ Committee Rejects Vaccination Exemption Bill

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Legislation to allow parents in New Jersey to claim a conscientious objection to their children getting vaccinated has died in committee.

Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee chairman Herb Conway said it's a "recipe for disaster." The Burlington County Democrat, who also is a physician, said it could lead to outbreaks of preventable diseases.

Conway said he might be willing to revisit the issue in the future.

Some parents were concerned vaccines may cause long-term neurological damage. Parents in New Jersey can claim medical or religious exemptions from vaccines.

The Statehouse bureau of The Star-Ledger of Newark and The Record reports the number claiming the religious exemption has increased from 452 in the 2005-06 school year to 3,865 in 2009-2010.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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