From Medskool

While I was off skiing, the Texas House basically killed Perry’s HPV vaccine requirement for middle school girls.

“I’m certain if this was a vaccine for any other type of cancer there would be no issue on this. But I think a lot of people have an uneasy feeling abut the subject matter,” said Rep. Jessica Farrar, a Houston Democrat who supports Perry’s mandate.

Bonnen said at the start of the debate that his concerns were about the safety of the Gardasil vaccine, not the idea advanced by some conservatives that administering it to preteens would encourage promiscuity.

But in later heated argument with Rep. Alma Allen, a former school principal, he said, “This is only protection they need if they choose to have sexual contact. It’s not protection they need just sitting in the classroom.”

The compromise? They’ll be informed of the vaccine through school, per Joaquin Castro’s amendment,

Bonnen accepted an amendment by Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, to send information about HPV to parents of schoolchildren.