Vaccine Exemptions

House Speaker Daniel Perez said a bill loosening child vaccination mandates would not be taken up during this week's legislative special session.

Both measures were priorities for Gov. Ron DeSantis before his term ends in January, but House Speaker Daniel Perez announced members will vote on redistricting and be dismissed.

Gov. Ron DeSantis called lawmakers back to address the vaccination issue in the special session that starts Tuesday. He also wants to pass artificial intelligence regulations and a new congressional districts map.

The governor postponed the redistricting special session by a week and added the vaccine issue, which failed to make it through any House subcommittee during the regular legislative session.

The regular session was Gov. Ron DeSantis’ last as governor, but he could have as many as three special sessions to strong-arm his "medical freedom" policies through a reluctant Legislature.

The House version of the bill (HB 917), which would require doctors to accept all patients regardless of vaccination status, hasn’t been considered in that chamber this year.

A bill expanding parents' rights to waive mandatory child vaccines is advancing through the Florida Senate, but some Republicans disagree about the access it purportedly offers.

The measure, which would create a new path for parents who don’t want their schoolchildren vaccinated, drew sharp warnings from health care experts about public health risks.

According to a state database, more than 1,400 cases of pertussis were reported in 2025. It's a five-year high for the state. Pediatricians attribute the rise in cases to vaccine hesitancy and waning immunity.

On "Florida Matters," we talk about what's behind the drop in childhood vaccination rates in Sarasota County. Plus, how to protect yourself against mosquitoes.

High vaccination rates can help prevent the spread of severe illnesses like measles and polio. But pediatricians say they're encountering more parents hesitant to get their kids immunized.

Hospitals are grappling with what to do, since federal and state law are at odds, and both carry financial penalties for non-compliance.