Florida Lawmakers are Considering a Bill to Weaken School Vaccine Protections

79% of Floridians support keeping school vaccine requirements. Tell lawmakers to stand with the majority.

What You Need to Know

What happened:
In January, the Florida Senate Health Policy Committee advanced SB 1756—a bill that would make school vaccine opt-outs as easy as downloading a form. In February, the Appropriations Committee advanced it despite strong opposition—our community showed up, and it was powerful enough to get a few senators to express their conflicting feelings on the bill.

Why it matters:
When vaccination rates drop, kids get sick. Babies too young to vaccinate and children fighting cancer depend on the rest of us to stay healthy.

What happens next:
This is the final committee stop—and might be our last chance. The bill is being heard in the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday, March 3 at 9 AM. If it passes here, it goes to the full Senate floor. We made an impact at the last hearing. Now we need to show up again and make our voices even louder.

What you can do:
1. Join us in Tallahassee on March 3 — This is critical!

Lawmakers need to see the pro-vaccine majority in the room when this bill is being decided. Your presence matters. This is a fight we can win with you there.

Where: Pat Thomas Committee Room, 412 Knott Building
When: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 9 AM

2. Can't make it? Write a letter to the committee (2 minutes)
If you can't be there in person, Senators still need to hear from you before Tuesday's vote.

The Full Breakdown

  • SB 1756 has four main parts that should concern Florida families:

    1. Makes opt-outs too easy - Adds undefined "conscience" exemptions and posts forms online so anyone can opt-out of required vaccines without consulting their doctor or health department

    2. Puts politics in the exam room - Requires state-mandated materials before kids get routine vaccines, impeding the patient-doctor relationship and stifling true informed consent

    3. Mandates schedules not backed by science - The bill would require alternative vaccine schedules not supported by medical evidence, overriding doctors' professional judgment

    4. Limits doctors' ability to protect vulnerable patients - Could prevent healthcare providers from keeping waiting rooms safe for babies, cancer patients, and other immunocompromised patients

  • To prevent a measles outbreak, about 95% of children need to be vaccinated to maintain herd immunity. In Florida, the kindergarten vaccination rate has dropped to about 88%, well below both the national average of 93% and the level needed to stop outbreaks. Many schools are now uncomfortably close to the danger zone.

    When vaccination rates fall below 95%, measles outbreaks become much more likely. The children most at risk are:

    • Babies too young to get vaccinated

    • Children with cancer or weak immune systems

    • Kids whose families thought they were protected by community immunity

    Outbreaks also mean:

    • Schools and daycares close

    • Parents miss work

    • Families lose childcare

  • Keep it simple and personal:

    Say:

    • Your name and city

    • You're concerned about SB 1756

    • You want to make healthcare decisions WITH your pediatrician

    • You want safe schools for all Florida kids

    • Thank them for listening

    You don't need to:

    • Be an expert

    • Write a long message

    • Use fancy language

    • Be political

    We have a template ready, but your own words will make the biggest impact.

  • Yes. Here's what you need to know:

    Most Florida families support strong vaccine protections. This includes people across the political spectrum, from conservative to liberal. We all believe in making healthcare decisions in partnership with our doctors, not around them.

    This bill would bypass that partnership, override doctors' medical judgment, and make opt-outs as easy as clicking a button online.

    If that concerns you too, your legislator needs to hear about it.

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  • We're parents, just like you. We want:

    • Safe schools where all kids are protected

    • To make healthcare decisions with our doctor's guidance

    • To know vulnerable children in our community are safe

    • Our legislators to trust us and our pediatricians

    That's not controversial. That's just good parenting.