SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois health officials have proposed new rules requiring parents who oppose vaccinating their children based on religious reasons to provide a special document to schools and child care facilities each year.

The Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises newspapers reports that the Illinois Department of Public Health proposal is in response to a law approved last year. The law created a “certificate of religious exemption” for children whose parents don’t want them to be vaccinated for religious reasons.

About 20 opponents testified against the proposal Monday at a public hearing in Springfield.

They claimed that the proposed rules are the health department’s attempt to override state law and violate their religious freedoms.

The department will consider the testimony before it submits its final version for approval.