TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Nearly a month after Florida’s top health officials announced plans to eliminate the state’s immunization requirements, the proposal remains largely a mystery — with no rule text, hearing date, or timeline released.
The Florida Department of Health says the effort aims to expand parental choice, allowing families to opt out of vaccinations long required for childcare and school admission. But as the clock ticks toward the start of the 2026 legislative session in January, parents, doctors, and lawmakers are still waiting for clarity.
WATCH: Florida’s vaccine rollback still lacks details as lawmakers await plan
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has been outspoken about his distrust of traditional vaccine policy. During a Sept. 3 press conference, he announced his plans to eliminate shot mandates, saying “every last one of them is wrong.”
“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery. Okay?” Ladapo said.
Governor Ron DeSantis has backed Ladapo’s approach. They’ve framed the effort as one of parental rights and medical freedom.
“Informed consent, making sure we're protecting parents' rights, and then also just being willing to challenge medical orthodoxy that's not supported by the data,” DeSantis said.
Still, critics warn that without clear guidance, Florida risks confusion and potential public health consequences. Dr. Paul Robinson, an associate professor at FSU College of Medicine and past president of Florida’s chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, opposes removing long-standing vaccine safeguards.
“With vaccine rates going down, every single one of these diseases is a human disease,” said Robinson. “They will come back. In fact, we're already seeing that in Florida.”
Medical organizations, such as the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, have requested a public meeting, cautioning that rolling back immunization rules could lead to outbreaks of preventable illnesses, including measles and whooping cough.
Lawmakers are also in limbo. Sen. Colleen Burton, a Lakeland Republican who chairs the Senate Health Policy Committee, said she’s received no information on a plan.
“Haven't seen any legislation to that effect, so I think it's a little premature to even try to have a conversation around it,” Burton said. “I've had no big conversations with the president's office or anybody else on that issue.”
Asked if her committee would consider such a bill, Burton replied: “I consider every single bill that a senator files absolutely.”
Some vaccine requirements are written into Florida law, meaning any permanent repeal could require legislative approval — potentially setting the stage for a major political fight when lawmakers return to Tallahassee. Sen. Lori Berman, a Democrat from Boca Raton and minority leader of the upper chamber, expressed alarm about the health and economic fallout.
“I’m very concerned,” Berman said. “You know, I'm concerned for the health of our children. I'm concerned for how this will affect us with tourism. Will people want to come here to our state?”
For now, the Department of Health hasn’t released a draft version of the rule, although officials have indicated that a public hearing could take place later this fall.
Lawmakers reconvene for the 2026 regular session in early January, where Florida’s vaccine policy could become one of the defining debates of the year.
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