[JURIST] The Washington State House of Representatives [official website] has passed a bill [summary] by a vote of 73-22 that will require public and private schools to provide information about human papilloma virus (HPV) [CDC fact sheet], a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer, and its newly-developed vaccine to parents of sixth grade students. The bill stops short of mandating vaccination. The measure will now move to the Washington State Senate [official website] for consideration. AP has more.

In February, Texas became the first state to require that girls receive an HPV vaccine [JURIST report] when Governor Rick Perry (R) [official website] issued a controversial executive order [text] that may be overturned by the Texas legislature. Virginia became the second state to mandate HPV vaccination for sixth grade girls in March when Governor Timothy Kaine (D) [official website] announced [JURIST report] that he would sign a bill [text] passed by both houses of the Virginia General Assembly. Lawmakers in about 20 other states are reportedly considering similar measures [PJEPHL report] to require HPV vaccination.