Throughout this year, state lawmakers introduced over 400 bills related to vaccines, with a focus on changing vaccination rules or influencing public perception. More than half of these bills, amounting to 209, sought to weaken existing vaccination rules or reduce trust in vaccines. This activity spanned 34 states, as reported by a New York Times analysis.
Bills Targeting Vaccination Systems
This legislative session saw a considerable number of proposals aimed at dismantling the state’s vaccination system. These included measures questioning vaccine safety and reducing vaccination requirements in schools, daycares, and employment settings. In Wisconsin, there was a proposal for an “Immunization Injury Awareness Month,” while an Iowa bill aimed to remove all school vaccination requirements.
Despite these efforts, only nine of the weakening proposals became law. Still, proponents of such measures consider the year successful as many bills advanced further than expected.
Pro-Vaccine Legislative Efforts
In response, pro-vaccine lawmakers introduced bills to bolster vaccination access and safety. In twelve states, laws were enacted to reinforce childhood vaccination recommendations, reacting to federal health officials’ decisions to limit them.
Prominent figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fueled the anti-vaccine movement by opposing mandates, focusing on broader themes of health freedom.
Categories of Anti-Vaccine Bills
The bills challenging vaccination rules fall into five main categories:
- Weaken Vaccination Rules: Many aimed to eliminate or reduce requirements for vaccines, especially those needed for school enrollment.
- Legal Protections for the Unvaccinated: Some states proposed a “bill of rights” for those refusing vaccines, while others offered anti-discrimination protections.
- Promoting Vaccine Dangers: A few laws that passed mandated detailing recent vaccinations in autopsy reports of children, which could mislead parents contrary to scientific consensus.
- Targeting mRNA or COVID Vaccines: Proposals included labeling foods from mRNA-vaccinated animals or identifying mRNA-vaccinated blood donations.
- Altering Vaccination Systems: These bills discussed adding requirements such as parental consent for minors’ vaccinations or new insurer guidelines.
Outcomes and Future Plans
While most of the proposals did not become law, they indicate an evolving legislative landscape. The movement finds support along partisan lines, primarily backed by Republican lawmakers. For instance, the Democratic governor in Arizona vetoed Republican-backed proposals to end vaccine mandates.
Advocates of these bills plan to introduce more legislation in future sessions. Del Bigtree, from the Informed Consent Action Network, noted their aim to influence policy across various states.
The New York Times study used data from the Association of Immunization Managers, alongside insights from advocacy groups and academic experts from August 1, 2025, through July 1, 2026, covering nearly all state legislative sessions.