A bill that would expand vaccine exemptions for public K-12 schools is headed to the Senate floor.

The bill (SB 1756) would create a new “conscience” category allowing parents to opt their children out of immunizations typically required for students to attend public schools.

It passed through the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday despite opposition from two Republicans.

Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, the bill’s sponsor, said the proposal would give people with non-religious objections to vaccinations the opportunity to exempt their children.

“The legislation is about the values we hold in high regard,” Yarborough said. “Fundamentally, it’s about parents being able to make the best decisions for their children.”

The bill has been a flashpoint between parents’ rights advocates and health care practitioners, who warn that expanding vaccine exemptions could lead to increased illness from preventable diseases.

It has also created a divide among Senate Republicans. Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, said she would oppose the bill, especially as Florida is battling a measles outbreak.

Florida has the third-highest number of measles cases in the country, with more than 100 reported cases.

Sen. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, also voted against the measure, arguing it does not respect the choices of parents who want their children to attend schools that require vaccines.

Burton filed an amendment that would have allowed private schools to set their own vaccine requirements and deny admission based on vaccination status, but the proposal was voted down.

The bill would also require health care practitioners who administer vaccines to offer parents an alternative vaccine schedule and provide the most recent Vaccine Information Statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Parents would have to sign a document acknowledging receipt of the information.

For parents who choose not to vaccinate their children, the exemption form would include materials about the role of immunizations in preventing communicable diseases and link to the CDC’s vaccine information statement.

Yarborough said the information provided to families would be the same regardless of vaccination choice.

Another provision would allow pharmacists to sell ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug often used for animals, over the counter to adults without a prescription. Some have promoted ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19, though medical professionals have warned against using it for that purpose.

The bill would also grant pharmacists immunity from liability for adverse effects linked to ivermectin.

Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, questioned why ivermectin was included in the legislation.

“There is no reason we in the state of Florida should be treating it any differently than the federal government treats it now,” Berman said.

The House version of the bill (HB 917), which would require doctors to accept patients regardless of vaccination status, has not been considered this year. The measure has been promoted by First Lady Casey DeSantis and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.