PHOENIX — As public health officials fear Arizona could be another ground zero for measles outbreak, Gov. Doug Ducey is encouraging parents to vaccinate their children.
"I wanted to make sure people knew Arizona's going to be a pro-vaccination state," Ducey said Thursday. "That's one way to say it, the other way is to say we're anti-measles, anti-polio, anti-whooping cough."
Ducey said vaccinations are safe, effective and "protect the public health."
"Let's make certain that our kids are safe, that they're healthy and that they're in the best possible environment," he said.
Ducey said his children are vaccinated and encouraged other Arizona parents to do the same, who, under Arizona law, can legally opt out of vaccinating their children based on personal beliefs.
More parents appear to be taking that opt-out route.
Maricopa County Public Health previously told 12 News that right now, Arizonans fall below the threshold of community immunity. And a study by the Public Library of Science Journal found the Phoenix metro area to be the one place in the country that's most susceptible to a large, sustained measles outbreak.
Three bills, which opponents say would reduce the number of children being immunized even further, are making their way through the Arizona Legislature and passed through a state House committee last week.
One bill would add to the personal beliefs exemption by adding a religious exemption for parents to skip the required vaccines for their school-age children.
The second bill would require healthcare professionals to provide parents with more information regarding the ingredients in the immunizations.
"Shouldn't parents know what's being injected into their child's body?," the bill's sponsor Republican state Sen. Paul Boyer previously asked 12 News.
Former Arizona Health director Will Humble, however, told 12 News that parents already receive Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information for vaccinations from their pediatrician.
The third bill would require doctors to tell patients about an antibody test that may help determine if someone is already immune to a disease. But doctors say the test would not be reliable for determining immunity.
Ducey said he's not going to sign any law that "would put our kids in harm's way."
"I'm not going to sign a bill that would result in fewer Arizona children receiving vaccinations," he said.
Ducey said Arizona will continue to pursue policy that promotes vaccinating against diseases that are preventable through proper vaccination.
"We have a pretty solid state in terms of public policy, we want to advance that cause," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.