Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging the Legislature to support his “medical freedom” bill, which would make it easier for parents to opt out of pre-school vaccinations. (Photo by Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
As the number of confirmed measles cases increases in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ passion for passing legislation that makes it easier for parents to opt out of required vaccines for public school students grows.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida has had 134 confirmed cases of measles this year as of April 23, the fourth highest in the nation.
Meanwhile, Florida Department of Health data shows the number of confirmed cases this year as of April 17 is slightly lower at 131 confirmed cases.
But DeSantis isn’t letting the outbreak stop him from campaigning for lawmakers to consider his “medical freedom” proposal as one of the issues they will tackle this week in a special session that begins Tuesday. The four-day session will also include congressional redistricting and an artificial intelligence bill.
The Senate Rules Committee will consider it on Tuesday SB6Doffered by Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough of Jacksonville.
The bill is identical SB 1756also sponsored by Yarborough. This bill passed the Senate during the 2026 regular session but was later defeated never considered in the Chamber.
DeSantis, who is set to expire in January, has said he will continue to make the issue a priority while he is governor.
DeSantis’ decision to adopt vaccine policy is strengthening as measles cases continue to rise
DeSantis’ continued push for this proposal may not amount to much, however.
In an interview with South Florida television station WPLG, House Speaker Daniel Perez suggested he did not support the proposal.
“My concern about vaccines is that during a measles epidemic, it’s hard for me to suddenly have kids in schools not get measles vaccines, not get polio, not get chickenpox,” he told the station.
As of Monday afternoon, no legislation on vaccines or so-called “medical freedom” had been filed in the House.
Florida law includes a number of vaccination requirements for both teenage and elderly people. Mandatory vaccinations include school-age children, students and residents of nursing homes.
Vaccinations against poliomyelitis, diphtheria, rubella, rubella, pertussis, mumps and tetanus are required to attend schools, child care facilities and family nursing homes in Florida.
The state allows exceptions for valid medical reasons, but also for religion and certain belief systems, and in some cases allows personal exemptions for philosophical beliefs.
SB 6D still requires children to be vaccinated before attending school or daycare in Florida. However, the legislation would expand the exemption pathway, allowing parents and guardians to opt out of the duty on conscientious grounds.
The bill would also allow the sale of ivermectin over the counter and prohibit lawsuits against pharmacists and pharmacies that sell the drug.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), ivermectin is an effective treatment for parasites in animals and in humans for the treatment of parasites such as lice and scabies. However, the Food and Drug Administration did not approve Ivermectin to treat or prevent Covid-19 and so far advises against taking it for Covid-19, instead suggesting getting vaccinated to protect yourself.
But DOH Secretary Joseph Ladapo and First Lady Casey DeSantis did supporters of expanding the exploit of ivermectinincluding cancer research.
Outbreaks of measles and other diseases occurred as a percentage of school-age children in Florida vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella.
The target rate of MMR vaccination for herd immunity is 95%. Herd immunity, or population immunity, occurs when a vast percentage of a population acquires immunity through vaccination or previous infection. Herd immunity protects vulnerable people who cannot be vaccinated.
The MMR vaccination rate in Florida in 2024–2025 was 88.8%. This is almost a 5-point change compared to 2019–2020, a KFF analysis showsand well below the target of 95% needed to achieve herd immunity.
Even though the governor and Ladapo say so wanted to remove all vaccine mandates from Florida statutes, Yarborough’s legislation fails to achieve its intended purpose.
Nevertheless, organized medicine says the proposal is still threatening and opposes its adoption.
“There are two issues. First, ivermectin is not appropriate for distribution or dispensing without a prescription, I’m sorry,” American College of Physicians Florida lobbyist Christopher Nuland told the Florida Phoenix on Monday.
“Second, expanding conscientious objection would reduce vaccination rates and endanger not only children who are not vaccinated, but also those who are vaccinated.”
Proposed changes to administrative regulations have expired
In addition to trying to get the Legislature to change state vaccine requirements for school attendance (private and public), the DeSantis administration announced on September 9 the development of modern rules governing statutory vaccine requirements.
Proposed changes to the regulations, discussed during a public workshop on December 12 it would also eliminate the requirement for children to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, chickenpox, and Haemophilus influenza B or Hib, as well as to receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.
Vaccine fight begins in Panama City Beach over Florida school and kindergarten
(*134*) administrative rulemaking can take several months, regulators must comply with certain statutory requirements for the process to proceed.
One of these requirements is that the state must publish a proposed rule within 180 days of announcing changes to the rule. This would have required the Department of Health to publish the proposed rule by March 9, which it did not do.
This story was originally produced by Florida Phoenixwhich is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network that includes the Ohio Capital Journal and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
