Legislative Session Starts; MMA to Focus on 5 Major Issues
February 19, 2026
State lawmakers returned to St. Paul on February 17 for the second half of the 2025-2026 biennium.
Vaccine Integrity Project Urges Continuing HBV Vaccinations for Newborns
December 4, 2025
On December 2, the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP) released a study on the safety, effectiveness, and public health impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccinations at birth.
VIP, a project by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, released the report two days before the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) was scheduled to meet to discuss whether to end the practice of vaccinating all newborns for HBV. The practice has been in place since 1991.
VIP found the following in its review of data:
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Given the long-term protection provided by the hepatitis B vaccine, the birth dose was also key in reducing HBV transmission, disease, and death in the U.S. overall.
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No safety benefits were identified for a delayed first dose versus vaccination at birth.
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Delaying the first dose leaves infants vulnerable to both undiagnosed maternal infection and HBV exposure after birth.
The data review found no benefit of delaying vaccinations.
See the full report here.
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On the second day of the legislative session, MMA leadership was already advocating for one of its top priorities - minimizing the harm of federal changes to Medical Assistance (MA).
MMA Priority Bill on AI and Prior Auth Already Moving at the Capitol
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