Democrats in New York have introduced legislation that would preserve requirements for certain vaccines for children recommended by state health officials and major scientific organizations, even if federal authorities rescind approval of the shots.
State Rep. Amy Paulin, a Democrat, on March 26 unveiled one of the bills, which would alter the state public health law in New York that sets out required vaccines for children, including vaccines against polio, measles, and hepatitis B.
The bill, Assembly Bill 10711, would remove language stating that the vaccines need to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Instead, the law would say that parents are required to have their children receive the vaccines “in accordance with regulations issued by the [state’s health] commissioner, utilizing generally accepted medical standards and taking into consideration recommendations of” nationally or internationally recognized scientific organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.
A second piece of legislation would require insurance companies to cover vaccines even if they are not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided they are recommended by the commissioner based on recommendations from the same organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, or national or international groups.
New York has historically mandated only vaccines that are approved and recommended by federal health agencies.
The new bills would protect access to vaccines as those agencies work to change the recommended vaccines, according to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other Democrats.
“Our public health policies should be guided by science, not politics,” Hochul said in a statement.
She said that under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the federal government has “[empowered] vaccine skeptics and [shredded] scientific consensus around the safety and efficacy of vaccines.”
Paulin added, “At a time when federal guidance is becoming increasingly uncertain, we must ensure that New York can continue to follow trusted medical expertise and keep lifesaving vaccines available in our communities.”
Democrats have majorities in the state Assembly and Senate, in addition to holding the governor’s office.
Federal officials have defended the blocked changes and said they expect the judge’s ruling to be overturned on appeal.
Michael Kane, director of advocacy for Children’s Health Defense, told The Epoch Times in an email that New York Assembly Bill 10711 would allow experimental vaccines to be required for school attendance because it would remove language stating that vaccines need FDA approval.
“It would also allow for foreign entities to determine what vaccines our children must take,” Kane said. “This would likely be through the World Health Organization, which New York has just joined.”
“This bill could also open the door to a foreign nation like China providing vaccine guidance to our children,” he said.
The bills were referred on March 26 to legislative committees for consideration.
