An angry crowd of people erupted, shouting insults and making obscene gestures at New Jersey lawmakers as they advanced a bill that would make it harder for families to skip vaccines (see videos below – viewer discretion advised) on religious grounds. The state Assembly Health Committee voted 7-3 to advance the bill at the Statehouse in Trenton.

"You are going to hell," one person shouted while a child held up both middle fingers. Other exclamations included: "You should be ashamed of yourselves!" "They're all Democrats!" "You Democrats destroy America!" and "You're sellouts!" as the Assembly members hustled out of the room. The bill — which will require full Assembly approval, Senate approval and Gov. Phil Murphy's signature to become law — states that students can be exempt from immunization at elementary and secondary schools, as well as institutions of higher education, if they provide the following:

A written statement from a licensed physician requesting exemption "based upon valid medical reasons."

Documentation explaining how the administration of the vaccine conflicts with the religious tenets or practices of the student.

A notarized, signed and sworn written statement that includes an explanation of the nature of the person's religious tenet or practice that is implicated by the vaccination.

A statement acknowledging comprehension of the risks and benefits of vaccination to the student and the public health, and that the student may be excluded from attendance at his or her school if a communicable disease is found to have been contracted. Two Republicans and Democratic Assemblyman Tim Eustace of Bergen County voted no, according to nj.com. "I had to make a decision on what kinds of vaccination they would have," Eustace said of his adopted children, who were born HIV-positive. "I had the luxury of making that decision for my children," he was quoted as saying. After the hearing, Chairman Herb Conaway (D-Burlington), a physician, told nj.com he thought the bill struck the proper balance between public health and religious expression. "This will provide for a clear and consistent approach to vaccinations for students at any educational level in the state, and will do so in a way that protects the children of New Jersey and those with whom they come in contact against serious communicable diseases," Conway said.

The NJ Coalition for Vaccination Choice sounded the alarm before the hearing, proclaiming, "THIS SITUATION REQUIRES ALL HANDS ON DECK!" "We have told many of you that we would indicate which days were absolutely critical for all to take action and THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS. We have had small groups of people in Trenton consistently for the past 2+ years and we now need a very large gathering of people. The fact that they posted this bill on the Thursday before Easter/ Spring break represents such poor judgement. We must bring this point up to all members of the committee."



Here are the videos (viewer discretion advised):