Hundreds of people waited Wednesday for a hearing by the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on proposed changes to Maine's vaccination requirements.

Hours before the public hearing was to begin Wednesday, a line snaked out the door of the committee room and down the corridor of the building where the Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee meets.

Maine Rep. Ryan Tipping, D-Orono, introduces a bill that would remove philosophic and religious exemptions for vaccinations in an attempt to improve vaccination rates in Maine, on Wednesday in Augusta.

Sen. Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham, co-sponsored a bill to remove the philosophic and religious exemptions in an attempt to improve vaccination rates and make Maine less susceptible to the return of preventable infectious diseases such as measles, whooping cough and chickenpox.

Maranacook Community High School student Claire Holman, 14, of Mt. Vernon, and Marancook Community Middle School students Mary Hatt, 14, of Mt. Vernon, and Malachi Vazquez-Carr, 14, of Fayette, testify in favor of bill that would eliminate non-medical exemptions from requirements for childhood vaccinations, on Wednesday in the Cross State Office Building in Augusta.

Sen. Dave Miramant, D-Camden, testifies against against eliminating non-medical exemptions from requirements for childhood vaccinations, on Wednesday in Augusta.