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Prohibiting requirements of a COVID-19 vaccine in all Louisiana schools, public or private, will get a vote on the floor of the House of Representives.
Legislation advanced from the Education Committee on Wednesday with just one of 14 votes against the measure.
“The intent of this bill is to stop mandates that have anything to do with yay or nay on vaccines, but we just don’t like mandates,” said Rep. Kathy Edmonston, R-Gonzales, author of the proposal. “The COVID vaccine is not on the list of required immunizations for schools. The state’s vaccination requirements are specific to diseases that are vaccine preventable. COVID is not a vaccine preventable disease.”
She said the COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t prevent catching or transmitting the virus. She also cited U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings of major risks of heart damage to children, in particular, myocarditis.
Edmonston said the World Health Organization believes the vaccine “isn’t needed for healthy children.”
When asked by committee members if there were any public schools with a vaccine requirement, Edmondston said some of the charter schools in New Orleans and some institutions of higher education had them, but admitted that the number wasn’t many.
The bill language says requiring a vaccine for a student either as a condition of enrollment or continued attendance is not permitted.
Also supporting the bill was the nonprofit Health Freedom Louisiana and Gov. Jeff Landry’s office. Dr. Kathleen Willis told the committee that there is a “lack of long-term data on the safety and efficacy” of COVID-19 vaccines.
The bill was opposed by nonprofit Louisiana Families for Vaccines. Jennifer Herricks, a board member with a doctorate in microbiology and molecular genetics, told the committee that there are already exemptions for vaccines and she pushed back on Edmonston’s remark that COVID-19 wasn’t a vaccine preventable disease.
“The way we measured vaccine effectiveness was how much it reduced disease burden,” Herricks said. “COVID does that and it has been shown that it is safe and effective.
"I worry that if we start holding vaccines to this higher standard that we never have before, then suddenly many diseases become not vaccine preventable and we start dismantling our public health infrastructure.”
Edmonston filed a similar bill last year that was vetoed by then-Gov. John Bel Edwards and fell a few votes short of an override. 
The committee also approved another vaccine-related measure, House Bill 47, without any objections. Edmonston also authored that measure, which would require that communication by school districts about immunization requirements include exemption information.

Everyone has a Mike Maraist story: stories of his quiet generosity, of his kindness, of saving people’s homes or businesses, of a midnight dash. His family likes to tell the story of how Mike came into the world with a bang, quite literally, among celebratory fireworks on July 4, 1947 in St. Martinville, LA. It was anything but Independence Day for his parents, the late Louis Francis Maraist, Jr. (Popee) and Gertrude Melancon Maraist (Mimi), who patiently endured his many childhood pranks. The family moved to Morgan City in 1954, and Mike soon made new best friends and launched fresh hijinks, but his mischief was always quickly forgiven on account of his unpretentious charm and the restorative chores he’d undertake to appease Mimi after each curfew-breaking stunt.
Mike attended University of Southwestern Louisiana, graduating in 1971 as a finance major, a letterman in track, and a member of the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. He was hired right out of college to serve as a correspondent banker at Houston National Bank, where he travelled to meet with bankers across the state of Louisiana. Few could resist his pitch-potential clients became life-long friends as Mike remembered their stories: who’s kid was struggling in math, who to share a dirty joke with, and who to ask about Sunday’s sermon. When Mike decided that it was time to get off the road, he was recruited to Acadiana Bank in Eunice in 1971 at age 24 to become the youngest bank president in the U.S.
Mike beamed with love and pride for his family. He carried their stories with him everywhere: to work, to the camp, to the golf course, on the long drives he so cherished. In 1979, he married Patricia Saloom, who remained one of his best pals until the end. The following year, he welcomed his first child, Clare Grace Maraist. Over La Fonda’s lunches and cross-country drives, Mike taught Clare how to crack a quick-witted joke, while she taught him how to belt a proper karaoke tune. A testament to how much he believed in her-because Mike believed in people-he supported and guided Clare through the complex development of the former Manderfield School in Santa Fe, a town he adored. Mike married Naomi Angelle in 2001 and greeted his son, Michael Auguste “Gus” Maraist, the following year. Through Mardi Gras balls and football games, hunting excursions and design enterprises, they opened their home to all and filled it with love and laughter. Mike relished every opportunity for a father-son adventure, whether stalking birds in Argentina or spending a quiet day on the river; and while he delighted in family tailgating afternoons at Cajun Field and Tiger Stadium, he reserved his heartiest cheer for #6 on the Blue Gators football team.
Throughout a lifetime of deft business ventures, Mike’s most enduring investment was in people. He sought to enrich and empower the people he did business with. He was a consummate mentor and freely shared his profound intellect and creative approaches to management and finance during weekly lunches with his colleagues in which, he quipped, he’d “hear their confession.” His varied businesses include Timco Services Inc., Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club, Prime Electric, Starr Power Tongs, as well as a bevy of storage facilities, thoroughbred race horses, restaurants, and electrical relays and industrial controls. Among the many boards he served on or chaired were the UL Foundation, Hospice of Acadiana, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, and Home Bank, for which he served as chairman from 2005 to 2020. Mike’s business associates routinely expressed awe at his financial dexterity, his ability to carve out deals and safeguard financial futures when no one thought it possible. Even more: they marveled at his humility, his warmth, his loyalty, and his sincerity. A tribute to his love of savvy finance solutions, Mike endowed the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Maraist Financial Services Lab in honor of his family and with an eye to future generations.
Although he is most acclaimed as a businessman, at heart Mike was a father and a husband who loved and sought in everything to celebrate his wife, his children, and his parents. When terminally ill, Popee asked each of his five children to promise to care for the family in his absence. Mike embodied and lived out this promise; he took care of people, not just his family, but everyone. Mike possessed an inner spark that dazzled anyone in his presence. He treated everyone with dignity. Whether you were a CEO or a cashier, a banker or a busboy, he looked you straight in the eye with genuine attention and warmed you up with a greeting and grin. That’s how we wish to remember him: with his sly smile and his “hey, little darlin’,” swooping in for a bear hug to render you aglow in the light of his charm.
A Memorial Mass will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 2:00 PM in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Lafayette, for Michael P. Maraist, 76, who passed away on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.
The Very Reverend Chester C. Arceneaux, VF will be the Celebrant of the Memorial Mass and officiate the services.
Following the Memorial Mass, a visitation & celebration of Michael P. Maraist's life will be held at Le Pavilion at Parc Lafayette, 1913 Kaliste Saloom Rd, Lafayette, LA 70508.
Survivors include his beloved wife of 22 years, Naomi Angelle Maraist, his two children, Clare Grace Maraist (Tim Terell) and Michael Auguste “Gus” Maraist; his siblings, Louis F. Maraist Jr. (Sandra Day), Mag Maraist Ritchey, Kathryn Maraist Krachmer (Jay), and Liz Maraist.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis Francis Maraist Jr. and Gertrude Melancon Maraist.
Pallbearers will be Scot Ritchey, Louis Maraist III, Dr. Jay Krachmer, David Maraist, Clint Adcock, Michael Paul Maraist, Carroll Angelle, Ezra Angelle, Ashton Angelle, Dr. Don Harris, Tim Terell, Mark Guidry, Danny Saloom, Zack Saloom, Jesse Saloom, Miles Eldredge, Dr. David Baker, Allan Durand, Gerald deLaunay, Brent Stolzenthaler, Ronald Fremin, Bart Fremin, Charlie Hardy, HJ Flesner, Nick Kinchen, Jeff Gossen, Jim Gossen, Chris Rader, Anthony Galler, Tyron Picard, Charlie Melancon, and Cecil Little.
Readers will be Sara Ritchey and Jill Krachmer Mott.
Giftbearers will be Jack Troutman-Ritchey, Amélie Maraist, Ethan Vagi, Ellie Vagi, Emme Vagi, Louis Maraist IV, Bijou Purpera, Landry Mott, and William Ritchey.
Vocalists will be Laura Huval and Charie Angelle Johnson. Organist will be Patrick Melancon.
In lieu of flowers the Maraist family asks that you perform an act of kindness and generosity in his honor. Additional ways to celebrate Mike are by contributing to the Mike Maraist Memorial Fund at the Ascension Episcopal School (https://tinyurl.com/ktmzxu8t) or send checks to 1030 Johnston St. Lafayette, Louisiana 70501; or to the UL Lafayette Foundation to support the newly established memorial fund, the Michael P. Maraist Endowed Chair in Finance, https://bit.ly/maraist, or send checks to P.O. Box 44290, Lafayette, LA 70504.
View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com
Martin & Castille Funeral Home - DOWNTOWN, 330 St. Landry Street, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506, 337-234-2311

Holly Urban Prestenbach, 60, died Sunday, March 17, 2024, at his residence.
He is survived by his wife, Thelma Adams Prestenbach; sister, Robin Richard; children, Dusten Prestenbach, Kelli Payne, Frank Adams and Jacob Liner; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.
Visitation will be Friday, 6-9 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m., at Twin City Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Morgan City Cemetery.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Terrebonne General Women’s Health Center was awarded Louisiana Birth Ready Designation by the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative.
This honor distinguishes that Terrebonne General’s birthing facility worked hard to implement and sustain the necessary processes, policies, and educational structures to ensure safe, equitable, and dignified births for all families, the hospital said in a news released.
For patients, this means the Terrebonne General Women’s Health Center uses the best evidence-based practices and is highly involved in the quality of our patient’s care.
“Congratulations to our Women’s Health Center team for all of their hard work implementing the necessary processes, policies, and education structures to support the Birth Ready Designation,” said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO. “We are incredibly proud of our team of physicians and staff for their commitment to excellence in improving outcomes for mothers and babies.”
Terrebonne General participated in extensive collaboration, evaluation, and consistent health care work, including five designation areas to achieve this designation. Each designation level includes five areas of requirement: participation and collaborative learning, health equity and patient partnership, policies and procedures, structures and education, and outcome and process measures.
Terrebonne General Women’s Health Center offers many resources to help families become successful in their parenthood journey. Families have access to an extensive list of courses, including Infant CPR, Prepared Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Teen Prepared Childbirth, and lactation consults are available to help new mothers in their breastfeeding efforts. The Women’s Health Center also has a designated Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
For more information about Terrebonne General Women’s Health Center, visit tghealthsystem.com.