Florida Republicans advanced a bill that would broaden parental exemptions for school vaccine requirements while preserving mandates for MMR, DTaP and polio. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Clay Yarborough, passed a health policy committee 6-4 and would add a conscience exemption plus new counseling requirements for providers. Critics — including some Republicans and former surgeon general Dr. Scott Rivkees — warn the change could weaken protections and increase outbreak risk; Florida has reported three measles cases this year.
Florida Republicans Advance Bill To Broaden Parental Vaccine Exemptions, Preserve MMR/DTaP/Polio Mandates
A child receives a standard immunization on 15 September 2025 in Coral Gables, Florida.Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images(Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Republicans in the Florida legislature this week advanced a bill that would broaden parental exemptions to school vaccine requirements while retaining mandates for several core childhood immunizations. The measure, sponsored by Jacksonville state senator Clay Yarborough, passed the chamber’s health policy committee on Monday by a 6-4 vote.
What the Bill Would Do
The proposal would add a parental “conscience” exemption to the state’s existing religious exemption for school-entry vaccination rules. It would require medical providers to counsel parents and caregivers on the “risks, benefits, safety and efficacy of each vaccine being administered,” using materials supplied by state-run medical boards.
Mandates for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP), and polio would remain in place under the bill. Supporters frame the change as expanding parental choice rather than dismantling core public-health protections.
Lawmakers' Reactions
Yarborough defended the measure at the committee hearing, saying the bill’s aim is to put parents “in charge of the decisions of their children’s health care.”
“Parents need to be in the drivers’ seat for every aspect of their children’s education, their health care, their wellbeing,” Yarborough told the committee, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
However, the proposal attracted criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans who warned that easier opt-outs would weaken existing protections and raise public-health risks. Committee vice-chair Gayle Harrell, a Republican from Stuart, opposed advancing the bill and warned it could lead to the return of diseases clinicians are no longer routinely trained to treat. Alexis Calatayud joined Harrell as the other Republican committee member who voted against the measure.
Broader Context
The move comes after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo — a vocal critic of routine immunizations who was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis — proposed last year to end multiple vaccine mandates, sparking national attention and alarm among public-health experts. Observers have also noted parallels between Florida’s push and anti‑vaccine rhetoric advanced by national figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Separately, the Florida Department of Health has been reported to be considering removing school-entry requirements for several vaccines that are not currently mandated by law, including chickenpox (varicella), hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, though no formal rule has been published.
Public-health leaders have sounded the alarm: Dr. Scott Rivkees, the state’s previous surgeon general, called the policy direction dangerous and broadly unpopular. Florida has already reported three measles cases so far this year, underscoring the potential consequences of loosening vaccine protections.
Next Steps
The bill must still clear further legislative hurdles before becoming law. If it moves forward, public-health officials, school districts and parents are likely to debate its practical effects and the content of the counseling materials medical providers will be required to use.
Help us improve.
