The Partnership for New York City, representing over 350 employers and 1.5 million workers, publicly supported a bill to eliminate the state's religious exemptions for childhood vaccinations, according to New York Daily News.
The city's largest business group backed the bill because of concerns over public safety and healthcare costs, said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the partnership. Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-N.Y., a sponsor of the bill, said the partnership's support shows the measles outbreak is both a public health issue and an economic concern.
The bill comes amid two large measles outbreaks in New York. The CDC reported 1,022 measles cases nationwide as of June 6. About 700 of those cases occurred among Orthodox Jewish populations in New York City and Rockland County, N.Y.
Some lawmakers in New York's Assembly have expressed wariness at ending the religious exemption. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D., said he thinks the bill has a "50/50" chance of passing.