A Senate committee Monday narrowly approved a bill that would create a new path for parents who don’t want their schoolchildren vaccinated, with the proposal’s sponsor saying parents should be in the “driver’s seat” — but opponents warning of public health consequences.
The bill (SB 1756), sponsored by Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, includes creating an exemption to vaccination requirements for parents who say the shots conflict with their “conscience.” It would add to an existing exemption for parents who cite conflicts with religious beliefs.
“The main thrust of this bill is that parents be in charge of the decisions of their children’s health care,” Yarborough said, adding it was similar to other moves by the state in recent years to expand parental rights in areas such as health care and education.
But opponents, including physician groups, warned that creating another exemption could lead to the spread of diseases that would harm children and affect other people, such as cancer patients, who have compromised immune systems.
“We are about to go down a road that’s going to create a major problem for children, but also for seniors and those who cannot be vaccinated,” Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, said. “I had a conversation with my primary care doctor I’ve had (as) a good friend for many, many years, and she said, ‘Gayle, I don’t want to go back to medical school to learn how to treat polio.’ And that’s where we are going.”
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The Senate Health Policy Committee voted 6-4 to approve the bill, which comes amid widespread debates in Florida and nationally about vaccines. Part of that debate has been fueled by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, with physicians and health groups pushing back.
Yarborough’s bill also would make other changes, including requiring that health care providers give information to parents “on the risks, benefits, safety and efficacy of each vaccine being administered” before children get shots. The providers would use materials developed by the Florida Board of Medicine and Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
In addition, the bill would allow the sale of the drug ivermectin without prescriptions. Ivermectin, which is designed to treat parasitic conditions, drew heavy attention — and controversy — during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some people contending it helped treat the virus. Under the bill, ivermectin would be treated as what is known as a “behind the counter” medication that pharmacists could provide without prescriptions.
State law requires children entering school to be vaccinated against polio, measles, mumps and rubella and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is frequently called “MMR,” while the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine is frequently called “DTaP.”
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In addition to the requirements in law, the Florida Department of Health has vaccination requirements for hepatitis B; varicella, commonly known as chickenpox; Haemophilus influenza type b, or Hib, which can cause meningitis; and pneumococcal conjugate, which can cause pneumonia and meningitis.
But with state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo a vaccine critic, the Department of Health in December held a workshop about eliminating those four vaccination requirements. A Senate staff analysis said the department has not formally published a rule to move forward with the elimination.
Yarborough’s bill, which is titled “Medical Freedom,” would need approval from two more committees before it could go to the full Senate. Rep. Jeff Holcomb, R-Spring Hill, has filed a similar bill (HB 917) in the House.
