MIAMI — If Florida wants to become the first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates, lawmakers will need to give their approval.
As of Friday, the Florida Legislature was not in session and there appeared to be no one jumping on to support the plan.
In the first 48 hours since Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s unprecedented announcement to end vaccine mandates, especially where Florida schools are concerned, political support has been hard to see from the very people who would have to make it happen: Florida lawmakers, not from the Senate President, not from the House Speaker.
Any potential change has to get through both of them first.
There’s fence-sitting from Florida Republicans and outright opposition from Florida Democrats.
Florida Statute 1033.22 outlines vaccine requirements in the state. It already includes medical and religious exemptions.
Lawmakers are now filing bills for the next session. So far, none have filed anything about vaccines, but we do understand the governor is now working to make that happen.
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