Childhood Vaccination Legislation Meets Deadline

March 21, 2024

The House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee passed HF 367 (Freiberg, DFL – Minneapolis), a bill that would allow childcare facilities to require that participants meet certain vaccination requirements.  

The MMA was among a group of organizations sharing letters of support for the bill. In its letter, the MMA argued that this bill will increase childhood vaccination rates, which have decreased in recent years. 

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the proportion of U.S. kindergartners receiving state-required vaccines — for illnesses such as polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and diphtheria — declined from 95% to approximately 93% nationwide,” said the letter signed by MMA President Laurel Ries, MD. “Minnesota’s kindergartners have immunization rates below the national average. According to a report from the Minnesota Department of Health from the 2022-2023 school year, only 89% of kindergarten students entering public school were fully vaccinated. This is an extremely concerning decline. HF 367 aims to reverse that decline. Most childhood vaccinations and boosters occur between 2 months of age and 2 years of age. By removing the non-medical exemption for childcare centers and family childcare programs, the rates of fully vaccinated children in our communities will increase.”  

The letter went on to note that there have already been three reported cases of measles in Minnesota this year, a disease once considered eradicated. 

Minnesota’s weak vaccination laws have been a primary driver for Minnesota’s lower-than-average vaccination rates. Current Minnesota law allows parents to express a conscientious objection to vaccines for any reason. For many years, the MMA has advocated for the removal of the personal belief exemption altogether.  

Legislation on track to passing must be heard in committees in both the House and Senate before the first committee deadline at 5:00 on March 22. The Senate companion bill, SF 610 (Bolden, DFL – Rochester) was already heard in committee earlier this session. The House bill is now also on track to passing, following a party-line committee vote.