A measure filed in the Texas Legislature would eliminate the so called ‘Conscience Exemption’ which allows parents to bypass the state’s ‘no shots no school’ law, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

State Rep Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) says he was motivated by spread of infectious disease which has been blamed on co called ‘Anti Vaxxers,’ people who cite Internet driven urban legends of connections with autism and other diseases for declining to vaccinate their kids against easily preventable diseases.

“With the re-emergence of diseases which have been eradicated in the United States for decades, such as measles and whooping cough, we have no choice but to take immediate action to protect our communities from these devastating maladies,” Villalba told News Radio 1200 WOAI.

“I would never propose a measure such as this without careful consideration and diligence,” he said, adding that he takes parental rights ‘very seriously.’  “After consultation with physicians, parents, PTAs, immunologists, experts, and my own wife, I believe that we must act today to prevent the kinds of outbreaks we are seeing in California and Illinois.”

The conscience exemption was established in 2003, and since then the number of non immunized students attending Texas public schools has grown from around 2,000 to nearly 40,000.

Villalba’s measure would continue to allow religious exemptions to certain vaccinations, but only with specific proof that the person making the request is a member of a ‘recognized church or religious denomination.’

Parents with children who suffer from a condition that would be exacerbated by vaccinations, like leukemia, can also be exempted, with a doctor’s permission.

“Without taking the actions that we are taking today, Texas is at risk for an outbreak of measles, whopping cough, or even polio,” Villalba said.