Massachusetts: Protect Religious Exemptions to Vaccines

Massachusetts legislation, H.2554 and S.1557, would end the religious exemption for vaccinations throughout the state, preventing unvaccinated children from attending both public and private K-12 schools.

These two bills mark the fourth consecutive legislative session attempting to remove religious vaccine exemptions from the children of Massachusetts. Strong advocacy, outreach and opposition have thwarted these earlier efforts. But the bills are back and we can’t let up now!

Hundreds of parents, physicians, clergy, and community members have testified in public hearings against these bills, warning of their biased and discriminatory nature. These measures would deny children their right to an education which has lifelong implications.

Massachusetts legislators have also been presented with the facts: the religious exemption is used by only around 1% of children in our state, and vaccination rates remain high, steadily increasing over the past decade.

These bills disempower parents, forcing them to choose between their sincerely held beliefs and their child's access to education.

If enacted, H.2554 and S.1557 will:

● Eliminate the Religious Exemption for school vaccinations, forcing children out of both public and private K-12 schools if their families make medical decisions based on their sincerely held religious beliefs.

● Deny in-person education to students, including children from underprivileged backgrounds, communities of color, and those with special needs who depend on school services.

● Expand government oversight by requiring all K-12 schools (public, private, and charter) to report both immunization and exemption numbers to the state, including medical exemptions.

● Mandate public disclosure of school-specific immunization and exemption rates, allowing the state to publish exemption data by school, district, municipality, and county.

● Increase pressure and stigmatization on schools, families, and doctors who issue exemptions, leading to potential discrimination and loss of parental medical rights.

What you can do:

● Click on “Take Action” and follow the steps to quickly send an email directly to your legislator(s)

● Call your legislator and let them know you would like them to oppose this bill

● Set a meeting with your legislators. It is their job to listen to their constituents!

● Find your legislator’s contact information for phone calls and follow up emails