Pennsylvania currently allows parents to exempt their children from required vaccinations on solely religious grounds. In addition, our child abuse statute includes a religious exemption that prevents parents who withhold necessary medical treatment from being held accountable when that decision is based on their religious beliefs. When combined with the ongoing national campaign of disinformation and chaos surrounding vaccinations and sound public health measures, these two provisions risk depriving children of lifesaving care or preventive options, determined not by their own choices but by those made for them. 

 

I will be introducing legislation to repeal the two provisions in Pennsylvania law mentioned above for two vital reasons: 

1. Public Health Impacts: Declining childhood vaccine rates tied to non-medical exemptions have been linked to outbreaks of measles, pertussis (whooping cough), and other preventable diseases in school age populations in Pennsylvania and across the United States. Medical exemptions certified by a physician would remain fully available under this proposal. 

2. Child Welfare: Healthcare is a right, and our commitment to children’s health must be unwavering—anchored in evidence-based, scientifically validated care that gives them the best chance to thrive. 

California, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and West Virginia have all eliminated non-medical vaccine exemptions and courts have consistently upheld these repeals. Please join me in making Pennsylvania a safer and healthier place for all by co-sponsoring this legislation.