Florida Department of Health holds public hearing on proposed changes to school and childcare vaccination requirements
Orlando, Florida – The Florida Department of Health has held a public hearing in Orlando to discuss proposed changes to the state’s school and childcare immunization requirements, including a plan to remove several vaccines from the list required for enrollment under department regulations.
The hearing focused on proposed revisions to Rule 64D-3.046 of the Florida Administrative Code, which governs immunization requirements for children entering schools and childcare facilities.
The proposal would change which vaccines are required under the department’s administrative rules while keeping immunization requirements established directly by Florida law.
State health officials said the hearing gave residents an opportunity to learn about the proposed changes, ask questions, and share their opinions before the rulemaking process moves forward.
The department emphasized that holding the hearing does not mean the changes have been officially adopted.
Under the proposal, four immunizations would be removed from the requirements established through the Department of Health’s administrative rules.
These include vaccines for hepatitis B, varicella, also known as chickenpox, haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and pneumococcal disease.
If the revisions are approved, those vaccines would no longer be mandatory for school or childcare entry under the department’s rules.
However, several other immunization requirements would remain unchanged because they are specifically established in Florida statutes.
Vaccinations against polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, pertussis, mumps, and tetanus would continue to be required under Section 1003.22 of Florida law.
The department said the proposed revisions are intended to bring its administrative regulations into alignment with the immunizations identified in state law.
The changes would not prevent parents from obtaining vaccines that are no longer required for enrollment.
Families would still be able to choose those immunizations for their children, even if they are removed from the state’s administrative requirements.
Florida State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo said the proposed revisions reflect the department’s position that parents should have greater control over healthcare decisions involving their children.
“Parents know their children best, and they should be the ultimate decision-makers about their children’s health,” said State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo. “Our role is to provide families with clear information and access to care, not to substitute government mandates for informed decision-making. These proposed changes give parents greater ability to make those choices, advance the mission of public health by increasing their engagement, and preserve the requirements established in Florida law.”
The department described the proposal as an effort to support informed decision-making while continuing to enforce immunization requirements that remain part of state law.
The proposed removal of certain school-entry requirements does not change the fact that the vaccines protect against infectious diseases. The proposal concerns whether those immunizations must be documented for enrollment, rather than whether families can receive them.
Beyond the vaccine requirements themselves, the proposal includes several administrative updates.
The department plans to revise immunization and exemption forms, along with related guidelines used by schools, childcare facilities, and families.
Additional changes would address school compliance reporting and procedures involving Florida SHOTS, the state’s immunization information system.
The proposal also includes updates to requirements for opting out of participation in Florida SHOTS and rules governing access to the system.
These revisions would affect how immunization information is documented and managed under the state’s administrative framework.
The department has not announced a final implementation date for the proposed changes.
Health officials also emphasized that protections already established under Florida law would continue.
Parents would still be able to seek recognized medical and religious exemptions from applicable immunization requirements.
Schools and childcare providers would remain responsible for following state laws governing vaccination documentation and exemptions.
The proposed revisions would not remove their obligation to comply with requirements that remain legally enforceable.
The department said it intends to continue providing families with information about immunizations and available healthcare resources.
For now, the proposed changes remain part of Florida’s rulemaking process, and existing requirements continue to apply unless and until the revisions are formally adopted.
The public hearing provided an opportunity for residents to participate in that process before any final regulatory decision is made.
