AUGUSTA — Maine’s top health official says he supports vaccinations and efforts to help parents make an informed decision. But he says a bill that would’ve made it more difficult for parents to opt out of immunizations went too far.

The “informed consent” bill would have required parents seeking philosophic exemptions to vaccinations to obtain the signature of a medical professional before opting out. Gov. Paul LePage vetoed the bill.

Kenneth Albert, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the extra steps of requiring a parent to visit a doctor for counseling “create a heavy-handed and unnecessary burden for providers, parents, and schools.”

Health advocates have promised to resurrect the “informed consent” bill.