Florida Senate Advances Bill Allowing Vaccine Manufacturers to Be Sued in State Court
Florida lawmakers are moving legislation that would allow individuals injured by vaccines to sue manufacturers in Florida state courts. The bill passed a Senate committee with a 5-3 vote in January and is advancing through the legislative process.1 If passed, this legislation would mark a departure from decades of product liability immunity that has largely […]
West Virginia Governor Issues Executive Order to Grant Religious Vaccine Exemption, Backs Lawsuit
West Virginia is one of the five states that fails to provide a religious exemption to compliance with public health laws requiring multiple doses of vaccines for children to attend school. The other states without a religious vaccine exemption include California, New York, Maine and Connecticut.1 2 West Virginia is the only state that has […]
New Jersey Bill Requires Automatic Enrollment in State Electronic Vaccine Tracking Registry
Lawmakers in New Jersey have approved legislation that would require enrollment in the state’s electronic vaccine tracking registry, unless citizens actively opt out in writing. The bill for an “opt-out” vaccine tracking system, rather than operating an “opt-in” system, comes in response to decreased vaccination rates in recent years and health officials maintain it will […]
California Will Not Mandate COVID Vaccination for Schoolchildren
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed earlier this month that children in that state will not be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to attend school. Governor Gavin Newsom originally announced that California would be the first state to require COVID shots for K-12 students attending public and private schools, but […]
DC Bill B23-0171 Allowing Children 11 Years and Older to Be Vaccinated Without Parental Knowledge or Consent Advances
Opinion | On Oct. 7, 2020, during a hastily scheduled virtual meeting,1 four District of Columbia Council members making up the Health Committee2 amended and unanimously passed a minor consent bill, B23-0171.3 The bill would not only permit children aged 11 years and older to give consent for doctors and other vaccine administrators to give them […]
Massachusetts Public Health Officials Require Annual Flu Shots for Child Care and All Grades Through College
On Aug. 19, 2020, Massachusetts public health officials announced that all children six months of age and older who are attending child care, pre-school, kindergarten, K-12 and colleges and universities in Massachusetts will be required to get the influenza vaccine “to reduce flu-related illness and the overall impact of respiratory illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.”1 […]